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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Jul 28, 2017 - Jul 29, 2017
Canvasback Pair
Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1983)
Crisfield, MD, 1957
16 3/4 in. long
Two of the famous twelve "Open Water Shooting Stool" rig made by Lem Ward. The slightly turned head decoys display carved bills, detailed feather painting, and Lem Ward's best stippled paint across the backs.
This rig was made to hunt over but was never used. They retain their original weighted keels and are signed in ink "Made by L.T. Ward- Bro., Crisfield, MD," and dated, "-1957-." Both have the Kramer Collection ink stamp and "MK" brand on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.
Provenance: Mary and Norris Pratt Collection
Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection (acquired at Richard A. Bourne Co. 1976) Private Collection, Maryland
Private Collection, California, purchased in Copley's Winter Sale 2011, lot 332
Literature: Glen Lawson and Ida Ward Linton, "The Story of Lem Ward," Exton, PA, 1984, p. 102, exact decoy illustrated.
Carl Lucky and Russell Lewis, "Collecting Antique Bird Decoys and Duck Calls, 3rd edition," 2003, p. 87, exact decoys illustrated.
Richard A. Bourne, "Rare American Decoys and Bird Carvings," Hyannis Port, MA, 1976, lot 139, exact decoys illustrated.
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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