"Crowell" Style Sandpiper

Along with William Bowman of Long Island, Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) ranks #1 or #2 (depending on which collector you ask) among the greatest carvers of shorebird decoys. Elmer Crowell, of East Harwich, Massachusetts was absolutely the most prolific of all decoy makers and was without a doubt the greatest of all the old timers with a paintbrush. Unlike most decoy makers who applied a literal interpretation, often painting individual feathers, Crowell took a more artistic approach and as artists would say, he was more “painterly,” almost impressionistic in his approach.  His technique of subtle blending of wet oil paint is simply unmatched among decoy makers, and only occasionally mastered by fine artists working on canvas.

I attended an auction back in the early ‘80’s where a preening Crowell pintail was on the block. This gorgeous decoy had been made around 1905 as part of a dozen-bird hunting rig but stayed on a mantel for nearly 70 years and never touched the water. It was expected to sell for over $30,000, but two bidders were shooting it out in increments of $10,000 and the bird finally went for a total of $319,000, which was indeed an incredible price at that time for a wooden bird and, of course, a record.  That same decoy, along with a Crowell Canada Goose at the same price, recently sold for $1,300,000.  A Crowell shorebird recently brought $865,000.

The sandpiper offered here is not a replica of a particular Crowell, but a sort of composite of Crowell style.  The basic design is my own, with the bird’s head slightly turned to the left, and the paint is also in the style of Crowell, but not an exact copy of any one bird. He’s about 7” bill to tail, is aged “just a little bit” and has my initials carved under the tail. A wood stand is included.

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