Shang Wheeler Miniature Black Duck

Charles E. "Shang" Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1930 The rarity of this miniature can not be overstated. While Wheeler made hundreds of decorative carvings in his lifetime, his stand-alone miniatures are virtually non-existent. There is only one other waterfowl miniature, which is set against a painted grass backdrop, pictured in Dixon Merkt's comprehensive treatise on the carver.

This six-and-one-half-inch miniature black duck displays a slightly turned head, glass eyes, scratch-painted head detail, and grooved wing definition. The bottom of the carving reads "Made by Shang Wheeler, Black Duck, Babylon, NY, 1935" in barely legible, worn pencil. Babylon was the annual site of the National Decoy Show starting in 1923, and Wheeler was often in attendance in the 1930s and '40s. Original paint with minor touch-up to bill tip edges and along neck seat.

Provenance: Todd Lovell Collection

Provenance

Todd Lovell Collection