Elmer Crowell Flying Common Tern

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1900 An extremely rare, life-size, flying tern carving. Measuring a full twenty-one inches from wing tip to wing tip, this curvaceous early work captures the aerial beauty of the species to perfection. It was Crowell's interpretive ability to capture the likeness of birds and waterfowl that defined him as one of America's greatest folk artists.

The anatomy of the bird is nearly flawless with a sharp "V" split tail, accurately carved inset feet and bill, and strong feather paint. In "A Sportsman's Scrapbook" Dr. John C. Phillips talks about Crowell's creations: "Elmer used to decorate Wenham Camp with all sorts of mythical looking birds, whittled out and suspended from the ceiling so that they revolved solemnly around if you blew a puff of smoke their way." This tern is believed to be the largest, earliest, and perhaps the finest by the maker to ever come on the market.

In original paint with very minor flaking and minor gesso loss at the wing joint. The paint on the top of the wings has some even discoloration. The very tip of the bill is missing and there is a tiny age line on one side of the bill.

Provenance: Dr. Oscar Warren Billingham, West Dennis, and Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts Private Collection, New Hampshire, by descent in the family

Literature: John Phillips, "A Sportman's Scrapbook," Boston, MA, 1928, p. 33.

Provenance

Dr. Oscar Warren Billingham, West Dennis, and Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts Private Collection, New Hampshire, by descent in the family