Swimming Wigeon Drake, The Ward Brothers

Lot 246

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

Bid Increments

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$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

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

View Full Catalog (425)

Lot Description

Swimming Wigeon Drake
The Ward Brothers
Lemuel T. (1896-1983) and Stephen (1895-1976)
Crisfield, MD, c. 1932
15 3/4 in. long

A stylish long-bodied baldpate from early in the brothers' careers. The inquisitive head is in a forward-leaning position and is turned forty-five degrees to the right. The high forehead draws back into the razor-sharp green crest. Steve's elongated body shows classic Crisfield lines that resolve in a sharp, uplifted tail. Lem's dynamic paint and design abilities are shown off with bold color blocks, sharp wing tips, a tight dot pattern, and textured stippling.
Original paint with gunning wear, old putty repairs to head and tail chips, shot scars, and some minor touch-up.

Provenance: Deerfield Collection
Ronald S. Swanson Collection

Literature: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, "The Ward Brothers' Decoys: A Collector's Guide," Plano, TX, 1989, pl. 81, related example illustrated.
William J. Mackey, Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 148, pl. 127, related example illustrated.
Ronald Swanson, “The Decoy as Folk Sculpture,” Cranbrook Academy of Art Exhibition Catalog, January 1987, p. 29, fig. 43 (2nd from left), exact decoy illustrated.

Exhibited: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, “The Decoy as Folk Sculpture,” Cranbrook Academy of Art, January 27-February 22, 1987.

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.
Shipping Info
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