Wood Duck

Dateca. 1900

Attributed to Edward O'Neal (active 1895-1905)

OriginAmerica, North Carolina, Currituck County

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