Description: Approx. 3/4 life size; pair on driftwood base, bird on left standing erect, head turned to right and raised, looking upward, bird on right squatting, neck down, facing forward; both with glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley '72" on base.
Description: Life size; adult on driftwood base, standing with right foot forward, head turned slightly to left; glass eyes, metal legs, carved and painted details. Stamped "Gilley" on body between legs. Signed "Gilley" on base, marked "Yellowlegs by W.H. Gilley, made for Addie Gilley, Aug 1972" on underside of base.
Description: Life size adult male on driftwood piece mounted on oblong carved wooden base ; head turned over left shoulder, glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail, signed, dated on base "Gilley '77." Underside of base marked "Sparrow Hawk or Kestrel, Made for Addie Gilley, Wendell Gilley, 1977." Yellow paint on glass eyes, two screw heads visible on underside of base.
Description: Life size; adult male and female , male perched on carved ax set in stump, female perched on stump; glass eyes, metal feet, realistic carved and painted detail. Signed "Gilley '72" on top back of ax handle.
Description: Hen standing on slice of driftwood, right foot forward, facing downward, crest erect, glass eyes, painted, carved, burned detail, metal legs and feet, signed on base, "Gilley '73," underside of base stamped "Wendell Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine, 04679, 'Scaled or Blue Quail (Hen)'."
Description: Approx. 1/5 life size adult on driftwood base, neck bent down, scratching head with right foot; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley '71" on left of base.
Description: Half size; adult standing on driftwood attached to round carved wooden base, left leg bent, neck erect, beak closed around carved, painted trout; glass eyes, metal legs, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on left of base.
Description: Miniature; flying carving, wire screwed into body for hanging; glass eyes, painted details of plumage and feet, some carved feather detail in wings; incorrect beak detail; artist copied from painting w/o front perspective. Signed: "Gilley" on white upper flank patch; "Addie Gilley" marked on underside of breast. Companion pieces: 81.1.15, 81.1.16.
Description: Life size; male and female on oblong, sand covered wooden base with two attached driftwood pieces, male standing on burned driftwood, head turned over left shoulder, facing front of composition, female on lower right, attached to oblong base, head to ground, tail up; both have glass eyes, metal legs, carved, burned and painted detail. Unsigned. Marked "Property of Addie Gilley, Ruddy Turnstone, 1975" on underside of base.
Description: Life size pair; adults on burned driftwood attached to oblong carved wooden base, left bird higher, standing, wings up, beak agape, right bird standing, wings closed, beak closed; both birds with glass eyes, metal feet. Signed "Gilley" on left of base. Marked "Common Tern, Addie Gilley, 1976" on underside of base.
Description: Decorative eagle looking upwards, wings out stretched horizontally, left talon in relief clutching shield, back has two screws and a hinge attaching banner to wing, screw eye for hanging at top and lower right. Painted in red, white and blue, with flag pole and banner reading "Dum Vivimus Viviamus." After the style of carver John Hailey Bellamy (1836-1914). Marked "Addie Gilley," stamped "Wendell H. Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine." [show more]
Description: Life size; adult on burnt driftwood base, attached to base by left foot, standing, right leg slightly raised, hood turned slightly left; glass eyes, metal legs, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley '76" on left of base, marked "Gilley, Clapper Rail" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; adult on shaped wooden "pier" attached to circular, flat wooden base, standing, facing forward, head and beak vertical; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "by Wendell Gilley," marked "Addie Gilley, Xmas 1975" on underside of base. Companion piece no. 81.1.21.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; adult on shaped wooden "pier" attached to round, flat wooden base, standing, head raised, two fish hanging out of bill; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on front of base, stamped "Wendell H. Gilley, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679" on underside of base. Marked "Addie Gilley, xmas 1975."
Description: Life size; adult male on driftwood base, standing, tail slightly raised, feathers spread, head turned slightly left, carved, burned and painted detail; glass eyes, metal feet. Marked "Ruffed Grouse by W.H. Gilley, 1973, property of Addie Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine" on underside of base.
Description: Life size; adult on driftwood attached to carved oblong base, perched upright, head turned slightly left; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Marked, dated, signed "Kingfisher, made for Addie Gilley, 1973, by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/5 life size; adult on driftwood stump attached to carved oblong base, standing on toes, wings raised over head, head turned slightly to right; glass eyes, carved, burned and painted detail. Unsigned.
Description: Life size; swimming, flat bottom adult, head turned to left, crest down; glass eyes, burned and painted detail. Marked "Wood Duck made for Addie Gilley, Christmas 1970, by W.H. Gilley."
Description: Approx. 1/3 life size; adult on driftwood base, standing upright, mouth agape, head turned to left, crests erect; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley 74" on base. Marked "made for Addie Gilley, 1974, Double Crested Cormorant by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Life size; adult on driftwood base, standing, right foot forward, beak agape, wings outspread, tail erect; glass eyes, metal legs, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on base. Marked "Made for Addie Gilley, 1974, by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/3 life size; adult on driftwood base, head turned over left shoulder, preening left wing; glass eyes, metal legs, carved and painted detail. Underside of base marked "Addie Gilley" faded stamp: Wendell H. Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679."
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; adults on driftwood base; gander on left has head turned slightly left, neck erect; goose on lower right bent left with neck down; both with glass eyes, metal legs; carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on left of base, marked "Addie Gilley, Canada Geese, 1971 by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Approx. 1/2 life size; adult on driftwood base, standing, neck down, beak horizontal, facing forward; glass eyes, metal legs, carved and burned detail. Signed "Gilley" on base.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; Adult mounted on driftwood base, standing upright, body horizontal, neck erect, head turned slightly left; glass eyes, metal feet, carved and painted detail. Unsigned. Paint cracked at top of right leg.
Description: Life-size; Adult bird on driftwood base, standing hunched over as if fishing; Glass eyes, metal legs, painted, carved, burned details. Signed "Gilley '76" on underside of base. Marked "Green Heron by Wendell Gilley, 1976."
Description: Life size drake; standing on driftwood base, head erect, turned to left; Glass eyes, metal feet, carved , burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on left rear of base. Marked "For Addie Gilley, Green -winged Teal by W.H. Gilley, 1974" on underside of base. Stamped "W.H. Gilley" between legs.
Description: Approx. 1/6 life size adults; mounted on driftwood attached to oblong carved wooden base, male on right, head erect and turned slightly right; glass eyes, wire legs, bristle "beard" - female on right, head lowered, right leg back in scratching pose; glass eyes, metal legs; both have carved and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on left side of driftwood. Marked and dated "Made for Addie Gilley birthday, 1975, Wild Turkey 1975, by Wendell Gilley" on underside of base. [show more]
Description: Approx. 2/3 life-size; adult pair on driftwood base, male standing on right, tail partially spread, head turned left, female on lower left, nested on wood, left toes protruding, tail folded, neck down, head turned slightly left; both with glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed "Gilley" on center of base. Marked "Grouse, made for Addie Gilley" on underside of base.
Description: Life size adult; mounted on driftwood stump attached to carved oblong wooden base, perched upright, three toes of each foot protruding; glass eyes - somewhat marred, carved, burned and painted detail. Signed and dated "Gilley '76" on rear of driftwood.
Description: Great blue heron standing on driftwood branch. Metal legs and feet. Branch signed "Gilley '73" near feet. Underside inscribed "Gt. Blue Heron", "Addie Gilley",
Description: Saw-whet owl looking to the side, perched on driftwood branch attached to carved wooden base by single screw. Underside of base inscribed Saw-whet Owl 1/2 life size made for Mary Holmes 1973. Signed "Gilley" on lower part of driftwood branch.
Description: Published: New York : Winchester Press. Page 69 is signed by Frank C. Wilson, a Massachusetts decoy carver who is featured in the book. Wilson's work was for sale in the Wendell Gilley Museum shop.
Description: Published : Chillicothe, Ill. : Model Technology. Inscribed by the author "To Wendell Gilley, with best wishes to one of the pioneers in this field. We have all benefited from your efforts."
Description: Number 102 of 1000 book edition. Contains 42 plates. Published by Frame House Printing. Also included with this book dontion are seven holiday cards created by Zimmerman and sent by him to the donor's parents.
Description: Carved at the request of Addie Gilley, who was inspired by an illustration in a book about birds of the world. Signed "Gilley" on bottom of driftwood branch. Underside of base marked "Native of India, Sumatra, Indo China".
Description: Owl looking over left shoulder, glass eyes, wire toes. Signed "Gilley" on rear of driftwood base. Underside of base stamped Wendell H. Gilley.
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.