Early Ward Brothers Red Head Drake Decoy, circa 1930

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Early Ward Brothers Red Head Drake Decoy, circa 1930

About the Item

Antique Ward Brothers red head drake decoy, early period, circa 1930, having a hand carved hollow body, a distinctly shaped head with painted yellow eyes and carved nares and bill gape, and a small paddle tail, in worn original paint. This decoy has to my eye a very whimsical, even comical demeanor. It is a working decoy is from what the Ward Museum has described as their early period (1916-1932), and is in the same style as others that have appeared at auction identified as being from circa 1930. The decoy is not signed, as is often the case with their work from this period, but does retain a paper collection label inscribed "1930s Redhead Ward Bros. Crisfield, Maryland." Lemuel T. Ward, Jr. (1896-1984) and Stephen Ward (1895-1976) of Crisfield, Maryland created waterfowl decoys and decorative bird carvings for more than 50 years that established and maintained a unique standard of realism and artistic expression. They made hunting decoys until the early 1950s, when the introduction of plastic, factory-made hunting decoys and a growing collector demand for their realistic carvings prompted them to switch to the production of miniature and life-sized decorative birds. The decoy is in good structural condition, with separation along the body seam, a little loss in the seam in the breast area, and a small chip on the bottom beneath the breast. The body has original paint, worn and weathered, and missing to some extant on the lower sides and bottom. The head is quite crisp so likely had an old repaint. The head is tightly fastened via an old top bolt; this possibly was an in-use remount. Measures: 6-3/4 in high x 14 in length x 6-1/2 in width The Ward brothers started carving decoys circa 1920 between customers in their old barbershop near Asbury Church, and gradually moved to their home workshop as their decoy business increased. The Depression years of the 1930s brought an increase in the demand for their decoys as more people hunted simply to feed their families. When better economic times returned, a growing interest in sport hunting, especially at the gunning clubs that flourished on the waterfowl-rich marshes and islands of the Bay, provided a demand for their decoys from hunters who could afford the best. Many clubs sent their decoys back to the Ward’s shop annually for repair and repainting. Lem Ward was an innovator, always experimenting with new styles and paint patterns, perhaps to confound those who would copy his work, but mostly to satisfy his desire to create a more lifelike bird. Lem made a few decorative carvings as far back as 1918, but the change from making working decoys to consistently creating decorative pieces did not come until the 1950s. Steve Ward is often credited with doing most of the decoy carving and Lem with most of the painting, but this tends to oversimplify the close working relationship between the two brothers who formed a unique carving partnership. The Ward Brothers' work and legacy is celebrated in The Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland.

Creator:
The Ward Brothers (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 6.75 in (17.15 cm)Width: 14 in (35.56 cm)Depth: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)
Style:
Folk Art (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Pine,Hand-Carved,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1930-1939
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1930
Condition:
Repaired. Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Nantucket, MA
Reference Number:
Seller: AD - 127-21 ILR1stDibs: LU903921418532