Elmer Crowell Black Duck

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1925 17 in. long

This early gunning model is similar to those made for the sporting outfitter Iver Johnson in Boston. This carving displays Crowell's fully blended paint with finish rasping to the back of the head. Original paint with light gunning wear, several small brush strokes of working touch-up to the bird's back and neck base, and a two-inch area along left side.

Literature: Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Sporting Sale 2009," July 15-16, 2009, lot 74, exact carving illustrated. Adele Earnest, "The Art of the Decoy," New York, NY, 1965, p. 171, related decoy illustrated.