Ward Brothers Fan-tail Canada Goose

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1932

In "The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide," Ron Gard and Brian McGrath describe the 1932 Ward Brothers fan-tail Canada goose in detail: “This goose design is very unique and one of the more stylized forms done by the Wards. The body looks nothing like other Ward geese before or after. The goose is very large and was hollowed out from the top. The bird’s body was then jointed at the shoulders. The tail is not square or paddle like but it is similar to a fan design. The body in the mid-section is round and bulbous, and to make it even rarer, the head has no eyes. The head is carved nicely in a very folky style." It is believed that these birds were commissioned and upon delivery by the Ward Brothers, it was determined that they were too heavy. The Wards then hollowed out the rig. In original paint, touch-up by Lem along the cut seams; crack around the base and middle of the neck; checks to head and neck; patch of old filler on rear and underside of bird.

Literature: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Wolf City, TX, 1989, pp. 103 and 111, rigmate pictured. Adel Earnest, The Art of the Decoy, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 182-183.