Description: Miniatures; pair standing side by side, female to the right, male to the left on driftwood base; glass eyes, lead feet, painted feather detail. Signed "Gilley" and marked "Made for Addie Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/3 life size; three adult pintails on driftwood base, two males, one female, male on right, standing erect, male in center squat, female on far left, preening right wing; glass eyes, cast metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Marked "property of Addie Gilley, 1970" on underside of base.
Description: Miniature; mounted on driftwood, upright posture, preening breast - only one in this position in this size; glass eyes, molded feet, aluminium wing tips and tail. Signed "Gilley" on right of base, marked "Addie Gilley on underside of base. Carved out of pine-head separate piece
Description: Adult male, body held horizontal and low with tail fanned and pin arched upward ; head fully outstretched, twisted upward and to the right ; wire legs and metal webbed feet ; glass eyes ; signed "Gilley '61" on right rear side of base
Description: Miniature; standing with right foot on driftwood base, left leg half raised, neck curved downward; painted eyes and detail. Signed and dated "Gilley 1967" on right side of base. Marked "Addie Gilley" on underside.
Description: Black and white photograph with label: "Pileated woodpecker. 1970 carving by Wendell Gilley - Collection of Wendell Gilley Museum - photo by Dori Selene Rockefeller" on reverse
Description: 1/4 life size; perched on driftwood mounted on carved wooden base, toes inaccurate: three front one rear instead of two and two; glass eyes, painted wired feet, painted detail. Signed lower right of natural wood: "Gilley." Underside of base marked: "Addie Gilley, Pileated Woodpecker, 1970, W.H. Gilley."
Description: Adult male in a naturalistic, though simplified pose, mounted on the larger prong of a smooth, two-pronged driftwood branch ; ovoid gouge-carved pine base ; glass eyes, wire legs and broadly-spread toes gripping driftwood "tree". Signed "Gilley" on back of driftwood mount near the base. No date
Description: Photograph accompanies letter from Donald M. Fenner to the Gilley Museum. Back of photograph marked: "Helen Lay Strong - died June 13, 1995, Ed Gallenstein - President National Woodcarvers Association, Wendell Gilley, NWCA Herkimer Meeting, May 1967".
Description: Photograph accompanies letter from Donald M. Fenner to the Gilley Museum. Back of photograph marked: "DMF, Wendell Gilley, NWCA Meeting Herkimer, N.Y. May 1967, examining carvings by Erwin Caldwell".
Description: Article from the Philadelphia Inquirer's society column by Ruth Seltzer describing the preparations for the exhibit Downeast Bird Carvings by Wendell Gilley. The exhibit was held at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. The photograph accompanying the article shows Barbara Tyson, a trustee of the Academy, helping unpack the carved birds.
Description: Life size; adult standing erect, chick fits between adult's feet, standing erect and looking up at adult; both with glass eyes, semi-detailed. Signed and marked "Made for Addie Gilley, Gilley 1976" on underside of adult. Chick signed "Gilley '76" and marked "Addie."
Description: Panel carved by Gilley Museum Artist-in-Residence Steven Valleau ca 1995 ; one of a series marking the fifteenth anniversary of the museum.
Description: Approx. 1/3 life size; osprey on driftwood piece attached to oblong carved wooden base, wings upraised, head down, beak open; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Marked "made for Addie Gilley, driftwood gift of Mrs. David Rockefeller, Osprey by Wendell Gilley, 1971" on underside of base. Separate companion Mackerel: glass eyes, carved and painted detail.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; perched on driftwood base, carved flounder under left talon, bird is hunched over prey, beak partially open; glass eyes, cast talons, painted, burned and carved detail, flounder unpainted. Unsigned.
Description: Panel carved by Gilley Museum Artist-in-Residence Steven Valleau ca 1995 ; one of a series marking the fifteenth anniversary of the museum.
Description: Miniature; well mounted on right side of driftwood piece, head down and turned slightly left, wings raised, tail spread; glass eyes, lead feet, carved and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on lower left of driftwood. Has loop for hanging.
Description: Miniature; adult well-mounted on driftwood base, similar to piece no. 81.3.11, perched on right side spur, head down and turned slightly left, wings raised, tail spread; glass eyes, metal feet. Has loop for hanging. Can be removed from base. Signed on lower left of driftwood.
Description: Almost life size; adult on driftwood piece attached to oblong carved wooden base, wings raised, tail spread, head down, beak open, tongue exposed; glass eyes, metal toenails, extensive carved, burned and painted detail. Faded signature: "Gilley" on left of base. Marked "Osprey (near life size) by Wendell H. Gilley, SW Harbor, Maine, 1973, property of Addie B. Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Notecard reads "Dear Nina: We are lifelong summer residents of SWH and had the great fortune growing up to meet Wendell several times in his workshop while he was carving birds for my grandparents which we now cherish. My mother Linda Madara was asked by Downeast Magazine to write a story about Wendell and to photograph him and his carvings. We came across the text and original copy this summer and thought you may want it for the archives. Best regards, Ted Madara" Note accompanies a typescript of the magazine article, "Wendell Gilley - The Art of Fine Bird Carving" and photographic negatives. [show more]
Description: Adult male perched facing downward on driftwood branch attached to carved oblong base. Glass eyes ; wire and metal legs and feet. Oval pine base gouged and stained ; underside of base covered in felt. No visible signature or date
Description: Wendell Gilley Museum Director Nina Gormley and members of the museum's board of trustees standing in front of the museum with Whooping Cranes by Walter Matia, 1990.
Description: Resting bird, head slightly tucked, bill downwards, tail swept up and wing tips cropped; minimal carved detail, incised wings ; glass eyes, metal legs and feet with talons clutching downward on driftwood burl base. Signed "Gilley" on top of base, lower left; no date on piece but approximately 1948.
Description: Near life size; on driftwood piece attached to oblong carved wooden base, bird on right standing erect, head turned to right, left leg raised, left bird bending over, right leg raised; both birds with glass eyes, metal legs and feet. Signed "Gilley '75" on left of base. Marked "Property of Addie Gilley, Marbled Godwit 1975, by W.H. Gilley" on underside.
Description: Photograph of a marbled (?) godwit carved by Wendell H. Gilley. The carving appears to be part of a diorama. On reverse side in pencil: "George W. Pepper 3rd" . "Roche Photography, Caldwell N.J." stamp on reverse.
Description: Miniature; carved figure of bearded man with blue plaid scarf, white shirt, brown coat and trousers, wearing sou'wester; carved and painted detail, attached to square bottom base. Marked "by W.H. Gilley" on underside.
Description: Miniature; carved figure of bearded man with pipe, wearing hat, red patterned scarf, light blue shirt, dark blue trousers, high block boots; attached to rectangular wooden base. Marked "by W.H. Gilley" on underside.
Description: Carving of a half-bodied mallard duck in flight superimposed on a painted scene of shoreline and water ; duck approximately seven inches long, six inches high ; both legs are broken off and missing ; traces of practice painting on reverse ; edges painted silver ; signed bottom right "Gilley"
Description: 2 pieces. Miniature swimming adult with carved and painted detail attached to lid of varnished pine box. Underside of box marked "Made by W.H. Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine". Lid has screw head visible in center of underside.
Description: Six-board pine box, lap-joined and nailed, with clear acrylic finish ; rounded-edge lift cover, carved underneath to set in box cavity. Five-inch long mallard is screw-mounted lengthwise in the center of cover ; has two curled lead-strip tail-curls, glass eyes. Marked "Made for Hilda and Hulda Bragdon" on underside of box. Signed "Made by Wendell Gilley" and dated 1950 (in a circle).
Description: Male mallard mounted on driftwood attached to smooth painted wooden base ; signed "Gilley" in light grey on front of base; no visible date
Description: Miniature; head and body one piece, wire legs set into round, black base, feet painted, semi-detailed. Marked on underside of base: "Mallard, W.H. Gilley, First Bird, Made 1930, Addie Gilley." First bird carving by Wendell H. Gilley.
Description: Miniature; standing, head turned right, mounted on grey mound base; glass eyes, painted plumage, carved feet, carved detail of tail and feathers. Signed "Gilley, 1960," marked "Addie Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/2 life size; stands up semi erect, head turned to left; metal feet, carved and painted detail. Marked "Addie Gilley" on underside.
Description: Approx. 1/3 life size; mounted on driftwood base, standing semi-erect, head turned right; glass eyes, metal feet, carved and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on left of base.
Description: Marked "Model made by Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Carved on a carving machine. Assembled + painted by Wendell Gilley." Has round label "1M" on bottom.
Description: Article from Audubon Adventures, volume 2, number 4 (February/March 1986). Matthew Beal and Stephen Brooks are interviewed about learning to carve at the Wendell Gilley Museum with museum artist Steven Valleau.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; three part composition: one swimming, flat-bottomed adult, two swimming, flat-bottomed chicks; adult's head turned slightly to left, with glass eyes and painted detail; chick a's head is erect, chick b's head is down, both have burned detail. Adult marked, dated, signed "Loon, made for Addie Gilley by W.H. Gilley, 1973" on underside. Chicks unmarked.
Description: Common loon adult standing over nest with attached egg and unattached chick, head bent down, beak touching unhatched egg on oblong wooden base covered with sand and nesting material; adult loon has glass eyes, carved and painted detail, metal feet; egg painted; chick one-piece, beak open, flat bottom, pinhead eyes, painted detail. Marked, dated and signed "Made for Addie Gilley, 1964, Common Loon by Wendell Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Life size; swimming; flat bottom, tail up, head turned slightly left; glass eyes, carved and painted detail. Signed, dated and marked: "Oldsquaw (male) 1970, made for Addie Gilley by W.H. Gilley" on underside. Companion piece no. 81.1.85
Description: Two carvings, 1/3 Life size (chickadee is in proportion to owl); mounted on natural wood, owl at bottom facing forward, chickadee perched on branch to the left and above the owl. On owl, two toes forward and two backward; no feet on chickadee; glued onto branch, Chickadee has pinhead black eyes, owl has glass eyes, both with painted and carved detail. Signed: "Gilley '72"; marked "l. eared owl," on underside of base.
Description: Life size; pair on driftwood piece attached to oblong carved wooden base with painted metal glass in foreground, upper owl has wings up, head turned left facing front of piece, ear tufts erect, tail fanned out, legs reaching down as if alighting, lower owl perched, wings closed, ear tufts erect; both with glass eyes, metal toenails, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed"Gilley '75" on lower left of driftwood. Marked "Long-eared Owls by Wendell Gilley" on underside of base. [show more]
Description: Life size; adult on driftwood base, squatting, tail up, neck arched back; glass eyes, metal legs, carved, burned and painted detail, beak made from naturally curved piece of ash. Bird was originally made standing erect, then changed - two holes where old legs were placed behind present pair. Unsigned.
Description: Letter typed on FBI letterhead and signed by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover in gold ink thanking Wendell Gilley for the gift of carved bobwhites sent on behalf of Frank S. Land.
Description: Thank you letter from the Governor of California thanking Wendell Gilley for a carving of a quail, which he placed on his desk in the Governor's Mansion.
Description: This letter acknowledges receipt of a letter and chisel from Gilley, and discusses various carvings including a spotted sandpiper on a mussel shell and two pairs of quail
Description: This letter discusses correspondence between Wendell Gilley and Byron Cheever, author and magazine publisher, about Gilley's book. The author of the letter makes suggestions about paper and cover art and discusses copyright.
Description: Letter discusses sending text, artwork, and photos for the book, Art of Bird Carving, to Byron Cheever. Flying goose, bob-white and blue quail carvings are also mentioned.
Description: Note from O'Brien included with a copy of a letter from Byron Cheever. O'Brien mentions having been asked by Peggy Rockefeller if Gilley would sell her a flock of geese.
Description: Letter describing O'Brien's sailing trip around Buckle Island, Swans Island and others and the eiders and ospreys he saw. This letter also mentions Gilley's idea for a museum.
Description: O'Brien acknowledges receipt of a spotted sandpiper carving from Gilley and discusses a handle Gillely designed for an X-Acto blade as well as decoy designs.
Description: Letter discusses publishing Gilley's book in a limited edition as well as including a photograph of Gilley with an osprey as an insert. It also mentions a carving of an owl and another of a bobwhite quail on a hatchet.
Wellington - C. G. (Clarence George) Wellington (1890-1960)
Date:
1957-03-04
Description: Letter typed on Kansas City Star letterhead from Executive Editor Clarence G. Wellington thanking Wendell Gilley for carved birds sent on behalf of Frank S. Land.
Description: Cheever writes that he has received the materials for Gilley's book and that he read the new chapter on decoys and thought it was well done. He also talks about meeting carver Harold Haertel in Chicago at a meeting of decoy collectors.