"Sunbathing" Black Duck, Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1983)

Lot 211

About Seller

20 Winter Street
Pembroke, MA 02359
United States

Founded in 2005, Copley Fine Art Auctions is a boutique auction house specializing in antique decoys and American, sporting, and wildlife paintings. Over the course of the last two decades, the firm has set auction records for not only individual decoy makers, but also entire carving regions. Copley...Read more

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$1,000	$100
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$25,000	$2,500
$50,000	$5,000

About Auction

The Sporting Sale 2018, Day 2 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

Live

The Sporting Sale 2018, Day 2

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 20, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-07-20 10:00:00 2018-07-20 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2018, Day 2 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2018-day-2-3302 On July 19, Copley Fine Art Auctions will lead off their annual Sporting Sale with 140 lots from the Donal C. O’Brien, Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys. On July 20 Copley will present an additional 425 lots of decoys, fish carvings, and sporting art. Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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Lot Description

"Sunbathing" Black Duck
Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1983)
Crisfield, MD, 1966
13 in. long

This preening black duck is among the Ward Brothers' finest decorative carvings. Indeed, a two-page letter from Lem to his friend and patron Dr. Morton Kramer addresses Lem's strong feelings regarding this work. The writing states: “Morty the purpose of this note to you is this. Should Nothing unforseen happen, I will finish the Black duck today. I am speaking about the one I started for the ‘Shelburne Museum.' As I told you before if I ever had a good piece of work, I mean work that I feel that I cannot improve on, I would give you first choice. Well this is one of them…” He continues, “But if I had a little money you or no other man would ever own this duck, I have to do it this way to exist.”

The burl base is titled "SUNBATHING" and has a painted signature "L. T. WARD CRiSFiELD, MD -1966-."
Original paint with minimal wear. Corner of wooden base is loose.

Provenance: Dr. Morton Kramer Collection, acquired from the artist
Private Collection, Maryland, acquired from the above

Literature: Glenn Lawson and Ida Ward Linton, "The Story of Lem Ward," Exton, PA 1984, p. 113, exact carving illustrated.

Condition

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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