Elmer Crowell Sherer Rig Willet Silhouette

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 12 1/4 in. long

A life-size, tack-eye, silhouette decoy exhibiting the finest aspects of Crowell's shorebird paint. Along with Charles Walker, Crowell created some of the finest "flatties" known to exist. Silhouettes or "flatties" were innovative designs implemented to cut down on weight in the boat or when walking to the blind.

This decoy is from the rig of Joseph F. Sherer, an early Crowell patron who's collection included a record-setting running curlew. In the early 1900s, Sherer hunted with A. Elmer Crowell and George Flynn, the largest landowner on Martha's Vineyard at the time. Bold original paint with minimal wear, including a tight crack around neck, two small screw holes on one side from a wall mount, and some light scratches that surround one of the holes.

Provenance: Joseph F. Sherer Rig, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, Florida

Literature: Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, "Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving," Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 251, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Joseph F. Sherer Rig, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, Florida