Wood Duck
Dateca. 1900
Attributed to
Edward O'Neal (active 1895-1905)
MediumWood, steel, and paint
DimensionsOverall: 8 13/16 x 11 3/4 x 4 5/16in. (22.4 x 29.8 x 11cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1984.701.1
DescriptionA freestand, painted woodcarving of a Wood Duck; it has no base and stands, somewhat unsteadily, on extended legs, confirming that it was never used as a decoy but only as a decorative sculpture.Label TextDuring the late 1800s, wealthy northern sportsmen increasingly visited Currituck County, North Carolina, renowned for what local waterfowlers called "the smokes" of ducks and geese that wintered there. Numerous local gun clubs catered to these hunters and were an important asset to the regional economy, providing work for local residents, among them numerous members of the large O'Neal family. Working as guides, market hunters, and boat builders, several O'Neals also carved decoys in great numbers, sometimes hunting with rigs of 500 or more decoys.Displaying a sensitivity to the bird's natural beautfy, this Wood Duck is a rare decorative sculpture, not a working decoy, attributed to Edward O'Neal.ProvenanceDescended in the O'Neal family; Charles Spiron, Currituck, NC
ca. 1900
ca. 1925
1915-1930 (probably)
