HINGHAM, MASS. – Though not the only lot in the February 19-20 Copley Fine Arts sale that sold for over $100,000, “Redheads in Flight,” an oil on canvas by Frank Benson (1862-1951), signed and dated 1916, soared highest as it finished at $270,000. The painting, likely inspired by a hunting trip to a Lake Erie hunt club, was cataloged as one of only a very few early oils of waterfowl by Benson known to exist.

Other sporting paintings by Ogden Pleissner (1905-1983) and Edmund Osthaus (1858-1928) also earned six figure prices. A double mount carving of quail by Elmer Crowell earned more than $200,000 and two Cobb Island decoys collectively realized $306,000. The sale included numerous decoys from major collections with well-established provenance that resulted in strong five-figure prices. A full report will follow.