Sporting Art, Decoys, Dogs, and More

Each February, thousands of outdoors enthusiasts land in Charleston, South Carolina, for the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (February 17–19). The three-day celebration draws exhibitors from around the world for a weekend devoted to all things sporting and conservation. And if you’re a fan of sporting art and collectibles, this year hundreds of paintings, decoys, antiques, and more will be on offer at two separate auctions.

Even if you’re not looking to bid, it’s worth perusing the previews for an up close look at the collections, beginning with the Copley Fine Art Auctions’ Winter Sale on Friday. Among the 450 lots, Southern highlights include ornithological paintings by Charleston naturalist John Henry Dick, a watercolor by Roger Tory Peterson created for the 1949 book South Carolina Bird Life, and decoys and carvings by revered mid-Atlantic Seaboard artists such as Ira Hudson and Noah Sterling. “One of my favorite lots in the sale is a Noah Sterling yellowlegs pair that transcend the art of the decoy,” says Copley’s decoy specialist Colin McNair. On Saturday, the Guyette & Deeter decoy auction brings another 265 lots with an emphasis on Atlantic Coast artists, including a number of works by Maryland’s famed Ward Brothers and a rare full-size swan by Eastern Shore carver Oliver Lawson. Absentee, phone, and online bidding will be available for both auctions.