Elmer Crowell Bobwhite Quail

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1920 A life-size male bobwhite quail carving with Crowell’s oval brand on the bottom. This decorative game bird has a remarkable amount of detail, including its anatomically correct size and shape, incised tail feather carving, glass eyes, and perfectly refined bill. Crowell paid special attention to the feathering on this bird, layering the painted pigments to create a sense of depth and masterfully created illusion. This carving ranks at the very top of the maker’s work. The quail, native to Cape Cod, was on the decline by the start of the twentieth century. Crowell who loved to carve and paint from real models did not make many of these important game birds. Outstanding original paint with a small amount of flaking to the right leg and a very minor rub to top of head.

Provenance: Private Collection, Cape Cod

Literature: Stephen B. O’Brien, Jr. Fine Arts, 2002 Catalog, Boston, MA, 2002, fig. 28, similar carving illustrated. Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary: The World of A.E. Crowell and Son, Sandwich, MA, 1992, p. 85, plate 51, similar birds illustrated.

Provenance

Private Collection, Cape Cod