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THBOutstanding Purnell Pintail Pair by The Ward Brothers
Lot 142
About Seller
Copley Fine Art Auctions
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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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$60,000 - $90,000
Starting Bid
$30,000
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About Auction
Live
By Copley Fine Art Auctions
Jul 10, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-07-10 10:00:00
2025-07-10 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2025, Day 1
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2025-day-1-19844
Lots 1-316 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
Lots 1-316 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (316)
- Lot Description
Outstanding Purnell Pintail Pair
The Ward Brothers
Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976)
Crisfield, MD, c. 1937
17 1/2 in. long
"The pintail was Lem Ward's favorite bird and he shows this preference in the painting of his pintails. There is no finer work done in decoys than that which is exhibited in the 1932 Pinch Breast Pintails, or the 1936 Classic Pintails. The form and paint of these decoys alone is enough to guarantee the Wards a place among the finest decoy makers that ever lived." - Ron Gard, "Ward Brothers Decoys, A Collectors Guide"
An exemplary rigmate pair of "1936 model" pintails with turned heads. The Wards had a special relationship with pintails and many of their finest carvings are of this species. This pair exhibits what is considered their most classic design, the 1936 model. Their weights have been removed and they appear to have never seen the water. Incredibly, these decoys remain in near-mint condition as they would have appeared on Lem's painting bench.
The undersides are signed and dated 1937 by Lem.
Excellent original paint with minimal wear. Drake has a perfectly reset bill with minimal spot of touch-up above nostrils. Hen has minor touch-up to two feathers on left flank.
Provenance: William H. Purnell Jr. Collection
Private Collection
Literature: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, "The Ward Brothers' Decoys: A Collector's Guide," Wolf City, TX, 1989, pp. 57, 59-64, related decoys illustrated and discussed.Please refer to the description; if you have additional questions, email colin@copleyart.com.Condition
- Shipping Info
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Copley does not offer in-house packing or shipping. For clients who require shipping, please complete the Shipping Release Form and return it with your payment. The form includes a list of shippers we frequently work with.
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