Elmer Crowell Swimming Red-breasted Merganser Drake

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) Harwich, MA, c. 1915 A deep-bodied bird, carved with a slightly turned head, nice rasp carving, incised nostrils and mandible, and early painted tack eyes. Crowell's early tucked-head swimming mergansers show the maker's thoughtful and practical hunting design. This functional form changed with his later thin-necked mergansers, many of which were designed as decoratives. This bird is one of very few Crowell mergansers to have surfaced with such remarkable form. Displays Crowell's signature "ocean wave" feathering along the sides, crisp unbroken oval brand, and three strip lead weights attached to underside.

In strong original paint, with just a few shot marks to one side, professional touch-up to front of one wing patch and small area of fill to front neck seam by Gigi Hopkins.