A Dynamic Presentation of a Miniature Mallard Hen Carving by Courtney Allen (1896 – 1969), North Truro, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, circa 1950s – 1960s. Over the years, the Outer Cape has been the destination for artists and writers well-known to American culture. Courtney Allen was one of those artists. In the early 20^th century, Allen became inspired by the illustrations found in magazines of the day and became determined to study art. That desire led him to a career as a major artist and illustrator for those Major Magazine and books, focusing on griping images of people confronting precarious situations in the outdoors. Allen and his wife Erma Paul, also an illustrator, often visited the Outer Cape while working in New York and eventually bought a house in North Truro in 1927. They finally moved to the Cape for good in 1951 where Allen engaged in carving miniature waterfowl for the next 20 years. The Mallard Hen offered here is one of those birds. The Miniature Mallard standing on a large piece of knurled old burl is presented with a contoured body and reaching head with the bill apparently searching for a hidden nibble found on the “rocks”. Allen enhances the quality of the carving by creating layered raised wing, split tail carving to finish the dynamic design. The Elaborate Feather Paint is Fully Original, though it is somewhat worn by time and with minor flaking to the legs. There is also a very slight separation where the neck is attached to the body. The Total Presentation exhibits Allen’s ability to display a Full Understanding of the Artist’s Eye for Dimensionality. Measurements: the Hen is 7 ½” in length and 2 5/8” in width; the total piece is 11” in length, 7” in width, and 7” in height. A Wonderfully Dynamic Miniature Mallard Hen by an Important 20^th Century Artist and Carver.

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PENDING

Miniature Eider Drake Carving by Dorothy Bessie Brown (1922 – 2019), North Haven, Maine, circa 1950s. Brown lived virtually all of her life on North Haven. Her parents were caretakers of the Morrow and Lindbergh estate on the island, and as Dorothy’s obituary states, “Dorothy is probably best known for her hand carved birds.” Her birds were so well-crafted that later in life, she was especially excited when “asked by Jamie Wyeth to create a series of hand-carved birds to go along with his series of paintings called Gulls, Ravens, and a Vulture”, which were so appealing that Wyeth asked her for additional carvings. This little Eider is very typical of her individual carvings. The Eider stands with its webbed feet on a piece of driftwood, probably representing a rocky outcropping. Moreover, the Eider is delicately carved with tiny painted eyes, a distinctive Eider bill, and subtle primary wings and tail. The paint is fully original, showing minor signs of age. It measures 4” in length, 1 ½” in width, and 3 ½” in height; the base is 7” in length and 3 ¾” in width. Signed on the Bottom: “Eider Drake / Dorothy Brown / North Haven, Maine”. An Appealing Miniature from the Islands of Maine.

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SOLD

An Eye-Catching Decorative Snuggle Head Snipe Carving by Roy Legaux, Sr., St. Bernard, Louisiana. Legaux is a Well-Know Louisiana Decoy Carver featured in Charlie Frank’s Louisiana Duck Decoys and Loy Harrell’s Decoys: Sixty Living and Outstanding North American Carvers. This Exceptional Snuggle Head Snipe displays a Bold Breast, Subtle Relief Wing Carving, and an Extended Bill indicative of the Snipe. The Highly Detailed Original Paint captures the Exquisite Beauty of the “cryptically patterned” Feathering of this bird of wetland habitats. Measurements: 8 ½” in length, 3” in width, and 7” in height, including the base (8” L x 7” W). An Exceptional Vision of the Common Snipe.

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Price $515 plus shipping

Miniature Semipalmated Sandpiper Shorebird with a Slightly Turned Head by Randy & Elaine Fisher, Dennis, Massachusetts, circa 1981. The Fishers are avid Bird Watchers and have assisted in Bird Banding on the Cape, so they have held many of the birds they create in hand. Apparently, they are now retired from their carving exploits. This Semipalmated Sandpiper Shorebird is approximately 3/4^th the actual size of the Sandpiper, but the Detail of the Shorebird is Quite Accurate. The Dimensional Carving offers considerable emphasis to both Primary and Secondary Feathers; whereas, the Line Carving throughout the work provides a “Feathery” Basis for the Paint Pattern. The Slightly Turned Head with an Accurate Bill and Little Black Bead Eyes offers further Realism. The Paint is Fully Original and is Consistent with the Field Marks of the Semipalmated Sandpiper. Standing on a piece of driftwood with a Sense of Anticipation is the Shorebird’s Hunt for the next Morsel. The Bird measures a little under 5” in length, 1 5/8” in width, and 3 ¾” in height, including the base. It is Signed and Dated on the Bottom.

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Price $195 plus shipping