Description: Approx. 1/3 life size; adult on natural burl base, head turned slightly to right, hunched back, squatting; burned and painted detail, feet lead. Signed and dated "Gilley '74" on right of base. Marked "Green-winged teal by W. Gilley for Addie Gilley, 1974" on underside of base.
Description: Life size; adult nestled on natural wood base, head pulled down, beak pointing downward, toes protruding; glass eyes, wire toes, painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on base. Marked and dated "Woodcock, 1971, Addie Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Life size; adult perched on driftwood piece set into shaped wooden base, body in profile with head turned over right shoulder to "front" of piece; glass eyes, wire toes, four first toes protruding, painted plumage detail. Signed "Gilley '75" on right front of base. Marked and dated "Addie Gilley, Saw-whet owl by W.H. Gilley, 1975" on underside of base, which also has artist stamp. Artist considered this his best saw-whet owl. [show more]
Description: Approx. 1/5 life size; mounted on driftwood base, standing on toes, wings outstretched; glass eyes, lead feet, painted and carved detailed. Signed "Gilley" on front of base. Marked "Made for Addie Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/3 life size; perched on driftwood base, stands erect, tail horizontal; glass eyes, painted detail, wire legs and feet. Smeared signature on right side of base, "Gilley." Marked and dated "Ring-necked Pheasant by W. Gilley, 1973, Addie" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; pair mounted on driftwood base, lower duck has head turned around right shoulder, upper duck's head turned slightly left, neck withdrawn; both with glass eyes, painted detail, lead feet. Signed, dated, marked "Black duck for Addie Gilley by W.H. Gilley, 1974" on underside of base.
Description: Life size; pair mounted on driftwood base, male stands erect on right, female squats on left, head toward ground; both have glass eyes, wire feet and legs, painted detail. Unsigned, unmarked.
Description: Approx. 1/5 life size; mounted on driftwood base, standing erect on right foot, left foot raised; glass eyes, bristle "beard", metal legs and feet, painted and carved detail. Signed on base, underside of base dated 1974, marked "Addie, Wild Turkey."
Description: Approx. 1/5 life size; mounted on driftwood base, walking pose, left leg forward, attached by middle toe, right leg behind, attached by left toe; glass eyes, wire feet, carved and painted detail. Signed and dated "Gilley '74" on right side of base, marked "Wild Turkey by W.H. Gilley, 1974, Addie 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: Life size; drake mounted on burned driftwood base, head turned left, beak down; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley '74" on left side of base, marked "Blue-winged Teal by W.G. Gilley, 1974, made for Addie Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Life size decoy; Swimming Teal, flat bottom, neck erect/back, facing forward; glass eyes, carved and painted detail. Marked, signed and dated "Made for Addie Gilley, Cinnamon Teal by W.H. Gilley, 1970" on underside.
Description: Life size; perched on green, oblong, wooden mound base, erect posture, facing forward; glass eyes, wire feet and legs, painted and burned detail. Marked, dated and signed "Robin, made for Addie Gilley, 1978, by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Life size; mounted on wood covered with sand simulating rock, erect posture, head turned slightly right; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Marked, dated and signed "Property of Addie Gilley, Xmas 1977, made by Wendell Gilley, 1977" on underside of base.
Description: Miniature; mounted on driftwood base, standing up, neck drawn back, head turned slightly to left; carved feet, painted adult plumage details. Signed and dated "Gilley '72" on lower right side. Marked "Addie Gilley" on underside.
Description: Approx. 1/2 life size; mounted on driftwood piece attached to oblong carved wooden base, perched in hunting posture; glass eyes, metal feet, carved burned and painted detail. Marked, dated and signed "Red-shouldered Hawk, carved 1975, painted 1978, by W.H Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: 3/4 Life size; perched on driftwood piece attached to carved wooden base, head turned right, two toes of left foot exposed, three toes of right foot exposed, ear tufts laid back; glass eyes, metal toe nails, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley '75" on left of base, marked "Screech Owl 3/4 life size, 1975, by W.H. Gilley, property of Addie Gilley" on underside of base. Gray phase.
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. 1/4 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: 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: Mounted on driftwood base; standing, wings down, head lowered and cocked to right in "quizzical" expression; glass eyes, metal feet, painted and carved detail. Signed on base "Gillley". Underside of base marked: "This is one of a limited edition of only two of this model made, W.G. Common "Loon" by W.H. Gilley, 1973, property of Addie Gilley."
Description: Life size; mounted on driftwood base, standing erect, right leg raised, head turned left; glass eyes, metal legs, carved, burned and painted detail. Marked, dated and signed "for Addie Gilley, Upland Plover by W.H. Giley, 1974" on underside of base. Also called upland sandpiper Companion piece no. 81.1.97
Description: Life size male; mounted on driftwood branch attached to carved oblong wooden base, body tilted downward; glass eyes, metal legs, carved, burned and painted detail. Unsigned. Marked "Addie Gilley, 1978" on underside.
Description: Now known as American Wigeon ; marked "Baldpate '74, #28" on underside of base ; humped "clamshell" base is a driftwood burl ; wire legs and metal feet with tiny talons; signed "Gilley" on left front of base
Description: Adult male on gnarled driftwood root; glass eyes, wire legs and cut metal feet. Signed "Gilley '78" on oblong pine base ; underside of base marked "Evening Grosbeak #33"
Description: Adult male perched on branching twig on carved pine base ; wire legs and metal feet with talons grasping the branch ; glass eyes. Entire body covered with fine incised lines, deeper where suggesting primaries and tail feathers. Underside of base marked "Red-winged blackbird by W. H. Gilley 1977".
Description: Adult in swimming position, head erect on slightly bent neck facing straight forward; glass eyes ; signed "Gilley 72" on underside where felt is cut away
Description: Adult male, approximately life size, sitting on twig, head slightly cocked and turned left ; no visible legs, cut metal talons ; glass eyes. Signed in felt tip pen "by W. H. Gilley" and dated 1976 on underside of base; also faintly signed on top lower right of base
Description: Adult on small driftwood base ; body appears to be "bobbing" downward ; tail swept up, wing tips folded over ; glass eyes, wire legs and metal feet ; body covered overall with finely incised lines. Signed, dated and marked "Semipalmated Plover (Lifesize) by W.H. Gilley, 1975" on underside of base.
Description: Adult standing on weathered driftwood base, right leg retracted, neck slightly outstretched, head erect and looking ahead, bill curved slightly downward ; glass eyes, wire legs and metal feet. Signed on top of base near left foot: "Gilley" in felt tip pen ; also on underside, "Spotted Sandpiper by W.H. Gilley, 1979"
Description: Adult male Eastern bluebird ; ovoid pine base with multi-twigged branch rising from off-center; narrow-bodied bird sits on a lower twig, head turned to left and slightly raised ; glass eyes, metal feet, no visible legs. Inscribed: "Bluebird by Wendell Gilley for Harold and Gladys Townsend Xmas 1976" on underside of base
Description: Adult male sitting in the crotch of a Y shaped twig mount, body facing forward but head turned completely to the left ; glass eyes ; swirled driftwood root base. Signed "Gilley" and dated '71 on underside of base. Appears to have been overmarked '72
Description: Adult bird balances on the front face of burl base with wire legs and toes with talons clutching downward ; deeply arched back with vertical tail and bill pointing almost to sky. Glass eyes. Signed "Gilley/'78" on top edge of base. Underside of base marked "House Wren 1978, #34" and stamped "Wendell H. Gilley".
Description: Canvasback drake in swimming position, adult plumage, scant carved detail ; completely withdrawn head, turned slightly to the right. Signed "by W. H. Gilley 1971"
Description: Glass eyes ; wire and metal feet and legs ; feet are atop a "stump" of a small branch mounted in turn on a carved pine base. Underside of base marked "Hermit Thrush by Wendell Gilley 1977.
Description: Birds painted in summer plumage. Bottom of driftwood base marked "Made for Hilda + Hulda Bragdon, Xmas 1971." Signed "Gilley" on right front of base.
Description: Adult male in breeding plumage depicted on a wooden piling attached to egg-shaped pine base ; cast lead legs and feet, glass eyes ; signed "Gilley '75" on front of base. Underside of base marked: "Hilda and Hulda Bragdon, 1975" and signed "by Wendell Gilley"
Description: One marked "Made for Hilda Bragdon by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base. The other marked "Made for Hulda Bragdon by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base. Both dated 1970.
Description: Adult bald eagle, approximately one-sixth life-size, sitting upright on small driftwood knot ; lead feet with talons realistically gripping the base ; undercut wing tips crossed over carved tail ; Signed "Gilley" on left side of driftwood base; marked "Hilda, Hulda Bragdon, Xmas 1973" on underside of base
Description: Two adult birds on a roughly "J" shaped driftwood base ; glass eyes ; cast lead legs and feet. Signed "Gilley" on right side of driftwood base below the sitting gull ; inscribed "Made for Hilda - Hulda Bragdon 1972" on underside of base.
Description: Original letter from Byron Cheever, Publisher of North American Decoys, expressing Cheever's willingness to publish Wendell Gilley's book and asking questions about publication and printing details.
Description: Wendell suggests carvings he had on hand that could be photographed to illustrate his book. Birds he suggests are: bob white quail, scaled quail, flock of 7 Canada geese, pair of Wilson snipe, pair of grouse, single woodcock, several miniature birds of all types, great blue heron with trout in mouth, group of three pintails, life size eagle, pair of life size wood duck, spotted sandpiper on mussel shell, life size pileated woodpecker, pair of eagles with two babies in nest. [show more]
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: 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: Wendell Gilley standing next to a life size great horned owl carving. Also shown are carvings of a Canada goose, woodcock, and an unpainted pair of cormorants.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size group of four; two males, two females on driftwood branch mounted on smooth oblong wooden base. Underside of base inscribed "Wood Ducks by Wendell Gilley 1976".
Description: Polaroid photograph of Wendell Gilley standing in his workshop. In front of him is a table holding a saw. Behind him to his right is a carving of a Canada goose.
Description: This article, titled "Capt. Black: Artist and Surgeon", describes Wendell Gilley's influence on sculptor Paul Black. It also mentions Gilley's Canada goose carved for Harry S. Truman.
Description: Wendell Gilley exhibits forty carvings plus carvings-in-progress at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences in the show "Down East Bird Carvings."
Description: A guide to a fascinating hobby! Wendell Gilley was a bird watcher and artist who carved birds in wood on Mount Desert Island, Maine. He started out carving two-inch wooden birds for Abercrombie & Fitch. The book is beautifully illustrated with color photographs and with drawings.
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: Letter acknowledges receipt of a copy of O'Brien's letter to Wendell H. Gilley. Cheever promises to work on the material for Gilley's book but says hes is in the process of getting the summer issue of North American Decoys ready for the printer.
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: 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: Photocopy from the original by Byron Cheever listing questions he had regarding publishing Gilley's book. Gilley's answers as dictated to Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. are in pencil after each question.
Description: This letter praises Wendell Gilley's inventiveness, his carving and his book . O'Brien refers to a vise for holding decoys and carvings for painting that Wendell includes in the book.
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.
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."
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: Sign at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for Wendell Gilley's Downeast Bird Carvings exhibit, October 29, 1976 through January 9, 1977.
Description: Letter congratulating Gilley on the success of the exhibition Downeast Bird Carvings of Wendell Gilley at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. On exhibit were sixty-one carvings of birds "on display together for the first time." 34, 272 people attended the exhibit during its ten week run from October 29, 1976 to January 7, 1977.
Description: Letter thanking Wendell Gilley for the loan of his carvings for the exhibit Downeast Bird Carvings by Wendell Gilley held at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Oct. 29, 1976 through Jan. 7, 1977
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: 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: Invitation to a black tie dinner celebrating the opening of the exhibit Downeast Bird Carvings by Wendell Gilley at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Pa. On the back page is a handwritten note from Barbara Tyson to Wendell.