Ward Brothers The Ward Peregrine Falcon

Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1984) Crisfield, MD, 1969 24 1/2 in. tall

"Occasionally, a work of art appears that is a great leap beyond anything that has come before it. To American Wildfowl Art, Lem Ward's Peregrine Falcon was such a leap. This is the first known wildfowl sculpture of this quality depicting such interaction between a bird and its surroundings... Lem worked on this bird for several years." -Glenn Lawson and Ida Ward

This singular sculpture by Lem depicts a peregrine with a captured bobwhite quail hen in its talons. The combination of Lem's detailed refinement and the depiction of a dramatic interaction place this as a landmark work in the cannon of American bird carving.

Dr. Kramer was aware of the importance of this work and had Norris Pratt build a custom crate. This allowed it to remain in excellent condition through multiple public exhibitions. The base is signed, titled, and dated.

The falcon is believed to be the only one known to be carved by Lem. The only other Ward quail known is a preening cock which can be found as lot 67 in this sale. Original paint with light wear and some craquelure on right shoulder.

Provenance: Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection, acquired from the artist

Literature: Glenn Lawson and Ida Ward Linton, "The Story of Lem Ward," Exton, PA 1984, pp. 56-57, exact carving illustrated and discussed.

Exhibited: Salisbury, Maryland, The Ward Museum, 2020-2023.

Provenance

Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection, acquired from the artist