Anthony Elmer Crowell, also known as A. Elmer Crowell (December 5, 1862 – January 1, 1952) was a master
decoy
A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''ende kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to lu ...
carver from
East Harwich,
. Crowell specialized in
shorebird
245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots
Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...
s,
waterfowl
Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...
, and miniatures. Crowell's decoys are consistently regarded as some of the finest and most desirable decoys ever made. Also created a fair amount of flat art in oils and watercolors. Acted as a hunting guide and caretaker of waterfowl gunning stands in Massachusetts.
Life
Crowell's father, Anthony S. Crowell, was a mariner and cranberry grower who may not have even cared much for hunting. Despite this, he bought Elmer his first gun in 1874, when the boy was 12. The land around their East Harwich, Massachusetts, home was rich in game and waterfowl, the numerous ponds and bays were a haven for sportsmen and market gunners from all over. Anthony Crowell owned property on Pleasant Lake near where the Crowells lived and Elmer built a gunning stand there in 1876. The stand stayed for many years while Elmer shot ducks, geese, and on occasion, shorebirds.
Despite this early interest in hunting, Crowell long favored live decoys to the block variety, perhaps proving that his career in carving block decoys didn't start until later on. In 1947, Crowell related in his article, "Cape Cod Memories," that, "''The shooting was great. But we could not sell them in the markets, as the law cut it out. Soon the law cut out the live decoys, and that was the end of good shooting there''." Crowell certainly didn't begin making decoys to support himself until later in life. By the late 1920s, Crowell's decoys were being churned out at a prodigious rate, and the quality suffered. For this reason, decoys of his from this period are slightly less desirable than those made earlier.
The decoy, as a form, implies both sculpture and function, and Crowell approached their creation as an artist. As George Hepplewhite wrote in the 18th century, the interpretation and execution of the decoys, "blend the useful with the agreeable." In particular, two of Crowell's decoys have repeatedly set world records for sales.
Crowell's preening
pintail drake and
Canada goose
The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...
decoys share the world record at $1.13 million
dollars
Dollar is the name of more than 20 currencies. They include the Australian dollar, Brunei dollar, Canadian dollar, Hong Kong dollar, Jamaican dollar, Liberian dollar, Namibian dollar, New Taiwan dollar, New Zealand dollar, Singapore dollar, Un ...
. Their private sales were orchestrated by Stephen O'Brien Jr. as part of what remains the largest decoy sale ever, with over 30 birds changing hands for approximately $7.5 million.
Crowell's barn/workshop was restored and moved to the grounds near the Harwich Historical Society. It is open to the public as a museum, commemorating his life and work.
References
1862 births
American woodcarvers
1951 deaths
People from Harwich, Massachusetts
20th-century American sculptors
19th-century American sculptors
American male sculptors
Sculptors from Massachusetts
19th-century American male artists
20th-century American male artists
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