EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBEarly Miniature Waterfowl Set, A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)
About Seller
65 Sharp Street
Hingham, MA 02043
United States
Copley Fine Art Auctions is the world's leading American sporting art auction company. Located in Hingham, MA, Copley specializes in antique decoys and 19th- and 20th-century American, sporting, and wildlife paintings. Principal Stephen O'Brien Jr., a fourth-generation sportsman with a refined colle...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,500 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $25,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
About Auction
LiveFeb 20, 2021
Lots 293-596 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (304)
- Lot Description
A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)
East Harwich, MA, c. 1915
goose is 5 3/4 in. long
Crowell created three varieties of miniature bird carving sets, each with twenty-five pieces. These sets were of either waterfowl, shorebirds, or songbirds, which he sold to not only his decoy buyers and seasonal tourists, but also schools and museums around the nation for species identification purposes.
This important, newly-discovered group of miniatures represents a full Crowell waterfowl set, numbered one through twenty-five on the underside of each carving. Each bird is original to this set. The vast majority of the original Crowell sets have been broken up over the years, making this a rare opportunity to acquire a single flock with remarkable consistency from bird to bird.
This is one of the earliest complete sets known to exist. This lot includes the following birds listed by their assigned number. Crowell's names are included in parentheses.
1. Mallard drake
2. Mallard hen
3. Pintail drake
4. Pintail hen
5. Redhead drake
6. Redhead hen
7. Bufflehead drake
8. Bufflehead hen
9. Bluebill drake
10. Bluebill hen
11. Red-Breasted Merganser drake
12. Red-Breasted Merganser hen
13. Canvasback drake
14. Canvasback hen
15. Green-Winged Teal drake
16. Brant
17. American merganser drake (gooseander)
18. Blue-Winged Teal drake
19. Hooded Merganser drake
20. Black Duck
21. Goldeneye drake
22. Long-Tailed Duck drake (old squaw)
23. Wood Duck drake
24. Ruddy Duck drake
25. Canada Goose
The set as a whole is in excellent original paint with minor wear and rubs. Ruddy duck, canvasback drake, and hooded merganser have very minor chips to bill tips. Bufflehead hen and goldeneye drake have partial bill replacements. Red-breasted merganser hen has a crack in bill. Canada goose has an age line in neck with minor flaking. Canvasback hen is missing its bill. Bluebill hen has chip to tail.
Provenance: Private Collection, Philadelphia, acquired from the maker and by descent in the family
Literature: A. E. Crowell, Cape Cod Memories, in "Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater," Eugene V. Connett, ed., New York, NY, 1947, pp. 59-60. Brian Cullity, "The Songless Aviary," Hyannis, MA, 1992, pp. 90-99, similar birds illustrated. Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, "Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving," Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 240-241, similar set illustrated.Please email condition report requests to colin@copleyart.com. Any condition statement given is a courtesy to customers, Copley will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
Copley Fine Art Auctions does not handle the shipping of any items. Shipping is the sole responsibility of the buyer. Once your payment has cleared and we have received your shipping form, items may be released for shipment. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC shall have no liability for any loss or damage to such items. Buyers should allow up to four weeks for shipment.
Please be aware that internet bidders may NOT not pick up their items at the sale. Items will be available for pick up by appointment or by shippers five days after the sale.
-
- Buyer's Premium
