The Ward Brothers
Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen W. (1895-1976)
Crisfield, MD, 1936
16 3/4 in. long
This classic '36 pintail drake has a slightly turned head and bears the Kramer Collection incised brand and a "L. T. Ward Bros 1936" inscription on the underside. The bird was owned and gunned over by the Ward brothers' relative Leonard Ward. The underside is also marked "WO1," indicating it was the first old Ward decoy that Kramer acquired for his collection. Kramer acquired it twenty-eight years after it was made, alerted to it by Ward protégé Oliver "Tuts" Lawson whom Kramer had recently befriended.
Original paint with even gunning wear.
Provenance: Leonard Ward Rig Oliver "Tuts" Lawson Collection, acquired from the above circa 1940
Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection, acquired from the above in 1964
Literature: Glenn Lawson, "The Story of Lem Ward," West Chester, PA, 1984, pp. 42-43, exact decoy illustrated.
Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, "The Ward Brothers' Decoys: A Collector's Guide," Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 63-64, related decoys illustrated.
Condition
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