Vintage Painted Carved Wood Red-breasted Merganser Drake Duck Decoy Marked CWW
Description: A beautiful carved wood and painted large duck decoy. This colorful decoy is of a red-breasted merganser drake or male duck. The piece is carved in the slim profile, long bodied form of a red-breasted merganser drake with a green head having a white ring at the neck and a long thin red bill. The decoy has what we believe are glass eyes with black centers. The decoy has no carved details except for general shape and curves within the head. The decoy has a flat painted bottom with a metal weight, possibly lead, attached to it, and a nail (which we believe is original to the piece since it has paint on it) affixed in the front near the bottom of the breast suggesting that the decoy may have been a working decoy. It is marked on the bottom with the letters "CWW". Please carefully review the photos as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: Unknown.
Origin: Purchased at an estate sale in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Size: The decoy measures ~12 1/2" long, ~4 1/2" at its widest, and ~6 1/2" at its highest point. The piece weighs about one and half pounds.
Maker: Unknown.
Marks: Marked on the bottom with the letters "CWW" carved into the wood. See last photo.
Condition: The piece is in very good condition with minimum wear and has losses to the paint, which give the decoy a special look. The piece has no breaks or repairs. The piece has scratches and dings to the surface but these blend in nicely in the rustic look of the piece. Be that as it may, this is a very nice piece which would display well in any collection or represent a nice decorative accent at your vacation house at the lake. Please see photos for additional condition information.