Anthony Elmer Crowell (1862 to 1951)
Perhaps the best know decoy carver in the world, Anthony Elmer Crowell was born in East Harwich, Massachusetts in 1862. In his youth Mr. Crowell was a cranberry farmer and hunter. There is no evidence that Mr. Crowell ever benefited from the help and experience of an older hand, however, by 1898 he excelled at carving decoys, with his favorites being native Cape Cod ducks and shorebirds. Although these early works were not marked or signed, they are choice collector’s items today as the quality of the carving and paint make them undeniably the work of this master carver. The oval brand eventually used by Mr. Crowell dates to around 1915. The rectangular mark came much later and is also used by Mr. Crowell’s son, Kleon Crowell.
Around Cape Cod Mr. Crowell was thought of as a kind man and his shop became an open forum for carvers and hunters alike. Keyes Chadwick and Joseph W. Lincoln, who are both well known Massachusetts carvers, called on him for advice that he generously gave.
Mr. Crowell died in 1951 a legend in his own time, yet his legend lives on today. In the 1960′s, when plastic, inexpensive decoys became “all the rage”, carved decoys became folk art collectibles. Books and newsletters followed shortly after and in 1968 the first ever decoy auction was held and history was made when a black duck decoy sold for $900. The carver of this decoy: Anthony Elmer Crowell. This record lasted only a few years, but one thing was made evident, “decoys are collectible”. In 2002, Mr. Crowell’s legend was again on top when Guyette & Schmidt Decoy Auctioneers sold a Crowell Preening Pintail from the Aiken Collection for a world record price of $801,500.