Ward Brothers The Surace Ward Canada Goose

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1943 24 in. long Frank Surace was one of the earliest decoy collectors from Long Island and one of the Long Island Decoy Collectors Association's founding members in 1971. A review of Surace’s collection reveals that by no means did he limit himself to his home island. Indeed, he and his friends William Mackey and Milt Weiler traveled together with a briefcase full of cash on decoy-picking road trips.

This large, cedar-bodied goose displays a head which is slightly turned and finished with some of the greatest refinement seen in any of Steve's waterfowl decoys. The low neck seat sweeps into a grand cedar body with a high tail as variation of their humpback model. The decoy was finished with Lem's seemingly effortless blending and feathering. The underside of the carving is signed by both Lem and Steve and dated 1943. Excellent original paint with moderate gunning wear, original fill to tight age lines in underside and back and minimal white wash to fill under tail. Rubs to tail and bill edges.

Provenance: Frank Surace Collection Private Collection, acquired from the above in 1973 Matt Geis Collection

Literature: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, "The Ward Brothers' Decoys: A Collector's Guide," Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 112-113, related geese illustrated.

Provenance

Frank Surace Collection Private Collection, acquired from the above in 1973 Matt Geis Collection