Ivar Fernlund Early Turned-head Canvasback Drake

Ivar Gustav Fernlund (1881-1933) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, c. 1915 15 in. long

Ivar Gustav Fernlund was raised in Michigan where he began his career as a patternmaker. He was promoted to foreman and transferred to Hamilton, Ontario, where he took up waterfowling. As a professional patternmaker, his earliest decoys were finer than most would ever accomplish, as this canvasback demonstrates.

Paul Brisco chose this exact decoy for the dust jacket cover of his "Waterfowl Decoys of Southwestern Ontario" book. Brisco writes that this carving, "with its fine profile, tapered body and turned head is an exquisite decoy. Longer and narrower than his later cans, it has heavy oil painting with cross-thatched combing to give a feathered look and help cut glare." Original paint with some touch-up and gunning wear.

Provenance: Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection

Literature: R. Paul Brisco, "Waterfowl Decoys of Southwestern Ontario," Erin, ON, 1986, front dust jacket cover and pl. 68, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection