FOLKSY PREENING RED-BREASTED MERGANSER DECOY – SHAWN SMITH (b. 1972) HOLDEN, ME

Description

We got this folksy circa last quarter 20th century Preening, Red-Breasted Merganser in a lot of three decoys during a recent auction held in Maine.
This Handsome Handcrafted Drake Decoy is the work of Shawn Gustaf Smith (b 1972). Mr. Smith no longer makes decoys. At the height of his career, Shawn was a first-place blue ribbon carver at the 1992 Ward World Championships. As you can see, Shawn was very adapted in the use of an air gun when painting his decoys.
Mr. Smith is the grandson of Holger Gustaf Smith (1903-1982).
Shawn's grandfather was a Game Warden from Mattapoisett, MA. He patrolled the mainland coast of Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts for many years. The older Smith made very collectable decoys and fishing lures. He also was a fine flat art painter. At one time during 1920's Shawn's grandfather drove to Cape Cod and took a painting lesson from a decoy carver in Harwich named Anthony Elmer Crowell (1862-1952). Holger later taught his grandson how to make decoys. Shawn completed his grandfather's list of customer's decoy orders when Holger passed away in 1982. You can read more about Shawn and his grandfather in the Jan/Feb 2019 issue of Decoy Magazine.
This auction is for a handmade, circa 1993, Red-Breasted Merganser with a turned head. This 31-year-old Drake is in Excellent Original Shelf Kept Condition.
This Full-Size Solid Body Decoy with Very Finely Carved Beak/Face and Head/Eye Detailing also shows how Shawn employed a folksy style of carving on this bird's body and turned head. They fit just ever so precisely together.
This Merganser has a flat bottom and sits nicely on the shelf. This drake sports a sweet upswept paddle tail. The bird’s head looks over his left shoulder and has Glass Eyes.
The decoy’s hand-carved head shows folksy formed eye sockets and cheeks. The head features a modest finely carved comb that perfectly matches and completes the decoy's folksy look.
The carving is in Excellent Original Paint. Shawn uses his Air Brush Skills to show his feathering detail on the Bird's Body.
“Shawn Smith E Holden ME. 1993” is handwritten on the bottom of this decoy.
This Decoy Shows Very Well - Sits about 5 Inches Tall when Displayed on the shelf – Decoy End to End is about 12 inches – Decoy is about 5 Inches Wide – Total Weight is 1 Pound and 5 Ounces.
More Pictures Available.