03/29/2024
Antique Carving of the Week:
Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA.
Exceedingly rare and possibly unique Canvasback double mount carving on a gouge carved base circa 1928-1930. Including a rare upright standing drake in the scene. Freshly deacessioned from decendents of the original buyers who purchased this directly from the Crowells.
“I don’t get much time to make decoys nowadays, though, ..The ladies keep me too busy making the small birds for them; there is better money in them, too. I make them for schools a lot, and gardens, and houses, and for private collections.”
- A. Elmer Crowell circa 1926 (Songless Aviary by Brian Culity)
As the consistent demand for decoratives arose and decoy work faded away, the Crowell’s found themselves in the middle of the boom for miniature bird art in New England. A market that would come to support the careers of over a dozen North Eastern miniaturists behind them... and still does today. Their double mount style, of which most were likely made after the introduction of the rectangular stamp, was never produced in near the numbers of single miniatures. Equally, they were not commonly made in the variety of species seen in single mounts. Mostly double mounts were made as mallards. More than that, most all had simple ‘tiered dome’ bases regardless of species. Making the gouge textured base of the Canvasbacks additionally unique.
This is a consigned item! Contact to consign your decoys and related works today!
Learn more here:
aandmdecoysandfolkart.com/product-page/rare-canvasback-miniature-double-mount-elmer-crowell
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