Carved and Painted Black Duck Decoy, by Pat Gardner, Nantucket, circa 1960s

Carved and Painted Black Duck Decoy, by Pat Gardner, Nantucket, circa 1960s, a carved wooden working decoy style black duck with head set well back on shelf in the content posture, with carved mandible and nares, on plump body with paddle tail, signed M.P. Gardner Nantucket on the bottom, and retaining an old sticker inscribed “Gaillard.” This is believed to be the only duck decoy that Pat ever made. amongst all her shorebird carvings. The decoy is extremely heavy, as if carved from a solid block of lignum vitae, ebony or the like.

Mary Patricia Gardner was born and lived her whole life on Nantucket. She studied under Frank Swift Chase, Ruth Haviland Sutton and Earl S. Ray, and was influenced by her grandfather Wallace Gardner, who was a trained sculptor. She became a member of the Artists Association of Nantucket in 1947. She was best known for her shorebird carvings, but also worked in watercolor and printmaking. She is viewed as one of the greater talents of her generation on Nantucket. Her work is highly sought after but only rarely appears on the market.

This bird is from the personal collection of the late Nantucket antiques dealer Howard B. Chadwick, Jr. The sticker on the bottom indicates that Howard acquired this rare decoy from Gwen Gaillard, a close friend of Howard and Pat. Gwen was the renowned owner of the iconic Opera House Restaurant on Nantucket and founder of the famous Opera House Cup race for wooden yachts. She was also a longtime antiques dealer on Nantucket.

Measures: 7-1/2 in H x 14-1/2 in L x 6 in W