Description:
This burned brand identifies the decoys belonging to an individual gunner. The brand is 5” wide with block letters ½” high. Periods follow J and L.
Narrative:
James L. Breese (1854-1934), Southampton, NY, was a wealthy New York stock broker, a founder of the firm Breese and Smith. But he was also a man of varied interests. He was a renowned amateur photographer who introduced color photography to the country. He was heavily involved in the new sport of auto racing and participated in the 1904 OrmondBeach-Daytona Auto Race. He also raced sailing yachts in the Vanderbilt Cup Race. Breese was awarded the Navy Cross for distinguished service as a member of the crew of Navy Sea-Plane NC4, which made the first successful flight from Newfoundland to the Azores in May, 1919. He lived in Havre de Grace, MD, part time after he purchased the estate Oakington in 1905.
This brand has been identified on the following decoys:
Maker Specie Drake or Hen
1. James Holly Canvasback Drake
2
3.
Primary Contributor: Larry Cook
Resources:
Cook, “Decoys of the Rich and Famous,” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Jan-Feb 2019.
Peden and Shagena, eds., Duck Hunters on the Susquehanna Flats, 1850-1930