Canvasback Duck Carving in Log Signed

Item Details

A most unusual treatment of a carving of a Canvasback Duck: a bit over half the duck is carved out of a chunk of birch log. Painted to represent a Canvasback drake, the piece is signed on the bottom “Canvasback H.W. White, Wilson, NY”. (Wilson, NY is on the southern shore of Lake Ontario). It probably dates c. 1950s. The Canvasback measures about 7 ¼” from beak to tail and is 3 ½” high at the head. The birch log is 9 ¾” x 5” and is about 2 ¾” thick (not counting the thickness of the bird which is about 1 ½”). Carved wing and tail details and a painted button or pin eye, the duck also has painted head features. Original painted surface (thick, shiny paint), with some rubbing and an age check almost the full length of the back. The whole piece weighs about 2 ½ pounds. I assume it will float but did not put it in water. Nice, level bottom, so it sits nicely on a mantel or shelf. And interesting example of Folk Art and I have not seen anything similar..