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
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Jul 27, 2017 - Jul 28, 2017
Life-Size Flying Tern
A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)
East Harwich, MA, c. 1925
18 1/2 in. wide, 11 1/4 in. long
An extremely rare, flying tern carving. This curvaceous early work renders 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 the father of American bird carving. The anatomy of the bird is nearly flawless with a sharp "V" split tail, accurately carved inset feet and bill, and strong blended 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."
Original paint with minimal wear, touch-up to reset tail feathers, feet and inside back corner of left wing.
Provenance: Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection
Literature: Dr. John C. Phillips, "A Sportman's Scrapbook," Boston, MA, 1928, p. 33.
John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, Shorebirds: The Birds, The Hunters, The Decoys, Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 59.
Condition report requests can be made via email or by telephone (info@copleyart.com or 617.536.0030). 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.
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