Elmer Crowell "iver Johnson" Black Duck

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1925 16 1/2 in. long

This early gunning model displays Crowell's fully blended paint with finish rasping to the back of the head. The underside retains the "Iver Johnson Supreme" stencil on the bottom. Johnson immigrated to Worcester, Massachusetts, from Norway in 1863 at the height of the American Civil War. Johnson was by trade a gunsmith, also working as an inventor in his spare time. He started a company with Martin Bye in 1871 and would go on to manufacture firearms and motorcycles. The firm recruited several top-notch machinists and designers, including O. F. Mossberg and Andrew Fyrberg.

It is rare to find Crowell decoys with Iver Johnson provenance in such good condition as they represent some of the maker's earlier and most gunned-over models. Similar to finding a Ward Brothers decoy with a "VL & A" stamp, the Johnson stencil is coveted by collectors. Original paint with light gunning wear.

Provenance: Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works Dale W. Farrell Collection

Literature: Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, "Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving," Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 273.

Provenance

Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works Dale W. Farrell Collection