Description: Gull in adult plumage, head erect and straight ahead, wing tips balanced high over tail, feet braced on a navigational buoy called a red nun. Glass eyes, wire legs and metal feet. Buoy painted with white Arabic numeral "4". Carved oval pine base, gouge-carved and painted to resemble sea water. No date visible.
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: Herring gull in adult plumage, taking off from a smooth burl driftwood base ; carved with minimum of detail; outside wing edges notched to suggest feathers; painted eyes, bill, legs and feet. W.H.G. marked on underside of base ; no date on piece but probably from the 1940s
Description: Adult, standing on mesquite base, tail erect ; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned, and painted detail ; carved circa 1977, painted and completed winter, 1981. Signed "Gilley" with artist's branding iron on flat side of base. Companion piece 81.1.175.
Description: Life-size adult "running" on mesquite base ; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail ; carved circa 1977, painted and completed winter 1981. Unsigned. Companion piece 81.1.174.
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: Panel carved by Gilley Museum Artist-in-Residence Steven Valleau ca 1995 ; one of a series marking the fifteenth anniversary of the museum.
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: Panel carved by Gilley Museum Artist-in-Residence Steven Valleau ca 1995 ; one of a series marking the fifteenth anniversary of the museum.
Description: Photograph of Gilley chickadee carving used to sell blanks in the Warren Tool catalog. Note on reverse written by Warren Tool president Fred Clark: "Note: Carved chickadee (shown) personal gift from the late Wendall [sic] Gilley..."
Description: The published version of this draft appeared with the title "A Visit with Wendell Gilley, A Legend in the Carving World" in the National Carver's Museum publication, The Mallet. The author indicates that in Nov. 1979 Wendell told him about the planned building of the Wendell Gilley Museum.
Description: This letter is a reply to the Gilley Museum Director's request for a garden to be donated by the Garden Club of Mount Desert. It also mentions a carving of three gulls on a driftwood based that Mrs. Bancroft commissioned from Wendell Gilley.
Description: Letter concerning the packing and shipping of a pintail duck carving commissioned from Wendell Gilley by Norman Willock and returned to the museum for repair.
Description: Letter describes Mr. Silver's visit to Elmer Crowell's workshop where he purchased several miniature bird carvings, and his subsequent visit to Wendell Gilley's workshop. Enclosed are photographs of a greater yellowlegs and a duck carved by Crowell. Silver also describes Wendell Gilley's trip to Abercrombie and Fitch where he was inspired to start bird carving.
Description: Catalog of an exhibition of Wendell Gilley's bird carvings held at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia from October 29, 1976 through January 9, 1977
Description: Solitary sandpiper perched with wings upright on driftwood branch ; spotted sandpiper standing, body tilted downward, on carved oblong base. Signed "Gilley" on left front of oblong base ; no date
Description: Letter to the president of Warren Tool Co. from artist Ekstrom about an article and artwork of Wendell Gilley's chickadee for Popular Woodworking. Ekstrom describes how he had to carve the chickadee himself before he could finish the article.
Description: Describes Wendell Gilley's visit to Herkimer New York where in 1967 Fenner invited him to be guest speaker at the National Woodcarvers Association Woodcarving Show held there. This letter is accompanied by photos of Wendell Gillley at the show.
Description: Letter to the President of Warren Tool Co., Fred Clark, concerning wood carving tools and ways of holding tools on a work bench. Also mentioned is a grouse carving loaned to Harry Meech, one of the founders of the National Carvers Museum.
Description: Photograph of a pair of cinnamon (?) teal carved by Wendell Gilley. Marked "Sam Rayburn" on reverse. "1958" written in blue ballpoint lower right corner.
Description: Christmas card featuring a carving of a family of bald eagles, the female perched on the edge of the nest of two chicks, the male on a branch above with wings spread. Marked 1969 on reverse of card
Description: Christmas card featuring a carved barn owl on a piece of driftwood. Signed "Addie & Wendell Gilley." Marked "Xmas 1976" on reverse side of card
Description: Postcard depicting a carved Canada goose which appears to be flying over a hedge ; "Canada Goose bird carving by Wendell Gilley" printed on reverse side of card.
Description: Postcard depicting a carved mallard on a driftwood base signed "Gilley" ; "Mallard Drake bird carving by Wendell Gilley" printed on reverse side of card.
Description: Christmas card featuring a carved saw-whet owl surrounded by snow covered greenery. Signed "Sincerely, Wendell & Addie Gilley" and dated 1967 on reverse side of card
Description: The letter writer is asking for more information on Wendell Gilley after watching a Boston television program profiling him. She also mentions owning a Gilley carving of a mallard pair.
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.
Description: Wendell Gilley standing in front of garage holding two carvings, an eagle and his first carving, a mallard made in 1930. On back of photo: "Wendell, Gilley, summer 1971, taken by Diane L. Kelly, his 1st & present bird in progress."