Jim Schmiedlin Pintail Drake

Jim Schmiedlin (1945-2015) Bradford Woods, PA c. April 1983 16.5" Plump hollow carved body with highly refined paint. Jim carved relatively few Pintail drakes. Thicker raised wings and a shorter sprig allowed the decoy to have possible use as a working bird though was finished with refined paint in Jim's decorative style. The decoy is carved in a content pose with the head slightly tucked down and turned off to the right. The bottom is keeled, has the JAS brand, and is signed and dated by Jim with the special inscription, " to my friend John Gass Jr. From PA to LA. Best wishes always." Jim's carvings are amongst the most sought after of any working decoy maker who carved in the last 70 years. He mastered his own unique, original, and highly identifiable look. In earnest, his medium was simple, recycling wood and using deck screws. His tools mirrored nothing fancy. Yet he created one of the most elegant and recognizable working styles in waterfowling history. Condition: Entirely original with a couple dark spots of shelf wear around the bottom edge