The Davenport Turned-Head Golden Plover by A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)

Lot 31

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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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The Winter Sale 2026, Day 1 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

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The Winter Sale 2026, Day 1

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Feb 20, 2026

Set Reminder 2026-02-20 10:00:00 2026-02-20 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Winter Sale 2026, Day 1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-winter-sale-2026-day-1-22120 Lots 1-300 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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Lot Description

The Davenport Turned-Head Golden Plover
A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)
East Harwich, MA, c. 1930
10 in. tall

This carving was made by Crowell for Everett Banfield Davenport and it has remained with his descendants for nearly a century. In addition to its quality, condition, and appeal, its discovery is especially notable considering the rarity of this striking model depicting a golden plover in full breeding plumage. Indeed, a review of the "Father of American Bird Carving" book and "Songless Aviary" catalog reveal no comparables. A study of decades of auction records reveals a single related carving from the esteemed John S. duMont Collection.

This carving remains in excellent original condition with no loss or repairs after almost one hundred years. A reminder of the perils of time, this plover is an earthquake survivor. During a quake, this bird was fortunate to remain intact on a shelf while another Crowell from the Davenport estate suffered a break in a fall.

This carving features a turned head, a decorative variation Crowell took seriously. He applied the head, affixing it perfectly with a special two-ended screw. Counterbalancing the turn and detail of the head and bill, the wings have slight separation at their tips and they bend to the left over a canted tail, giving the bird a lively posture. The plumage is striking with high contrast, soft blending, bright yellows and golds, and a pronounced white S-curve from the head to the wing.

The underside of the base is signed with Crowell's pristine rectangular stamp.
Excellent original paint with light wear.

Provenance: Everett Banfield Davenport Collection, acquired from the artist Private Collection, Concord MA, by descent

Literature: Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, "Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving," Hingham, MA, 2019, no related examples illustrated.

Condition

Please refer to the description; if you have additional questions, email colin@copleyart.com.
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