Ward Brothers Outstanding Purnell Pintail Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1937 17 1/2 in. long

“The pintail was Lem Ward's favorite bird and he shows this preference in the painting of his pintails. There is no finer work done in decoys than that which is exhibited in the 1932 Pinch Breast Pintails, or the 1936 Classic Pintails. The form and paint of these decoys alone is enough to guarantee the Wards a place among the finest decoy makers that ever lived.” — Ron Gard, "Ward Brothers Decoys, A Collectors Guide”

An exemplary rigmate pair of "1936 model" pintails with turned heads. The Wards had a special relationship with pintails and many of their finest carvings are of this species. This pair exhibits what is considered their most classic design, the 1936 model. Their weights have been removed and they appear to have never seen the water. Incredibly, these decoys remain in near-mint condition as they would have appeared on Lem's painting bench.

The undersides are signed and dated 1937 by Lem. Excellent original paint with minimal wear. Drake has a perfectly reset bill with minimal spot of touch-up above nostrils. Hen has minor touch-up to two feathers on left flank.

Provenance: William H. Purnell Jr. Collection Private Collection

Literature: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, "The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide," Wolf City, TX, 1989, pp. 57, 59-64, related decoys illustrated and discussed.

Provenance

William H. Purnell Jr. Collection Private Collection