Otton Garren Wood Duck Drake

Otto Garren (1890-1968) Canton, IL, c. 1930 10 1/2 in. long

This animated drake displays a grand crest and lively paint with scratched feathering. A hole in the underside flanked by a series of dings suggests use as a stick up.

Garren was an avid waterfowl hunter from the town of Canton, and he was known as a skilled shot from boyhood. From his early years growing up around the famed Illinois River waterway until well into his 70s, he frequented a duck camp on Banner Marsh near Liverpool each season for fishing, trapping, and waterfowling.

“Garren began carving decoys at age sixteen, developing his style in the local tradition of carvers Perry and Richard Wilcoxen. His decoy bodies are hollow and elongated with neatly crafted, sprightly heads.

“In the 1950s and 60s, when the use of plastic decoys became more prevalent, decoy enthusiasts still sought out Garren decoys. Early collectors such as Joe French of St. Louis dispersed Garren's work among other collectors who appreciated the boldly painted, folk art aesthetic of Garren's work. Garren is one of the only Illinois River makers to have produced working wood duck decoys in any quantity. From his home workshop, the very prolific Garren continued to craft birds into his retirement years.” - Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, "Masterworks of the Illinois River" Original paint with light wear, reset neck crack, and bill has overpaint removed.

Provenance: Paul Parmalee or Forrest Loomis Collection Masterworks of the Illinois River Collection

Literature: Paul W. Parmalee and Forrest D. Loomis, "Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Dekalb, IL, 1969, p. 390, exact decoy illustrated. Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, "Masterworks of the Illinois River," Boston, MA, 2005, p. 121, exact drake illustrated.

Exhibited: Salisbury, Maryland, “The Illinois River Meets the Chesapeake,” Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, September 2 - November 13, 2005.

Provenance

Paul Parmalee or Forrest Loomis Collection Masterworks of the Illinois River Collection