The Art of Sport and More From Guyette and Deeter

The two brothers Lem and Steve Ward began their careers as barbers in Crisfield, Maryland. When it became clear that they had a talent for carving bird decoys, the two switched full time to creating hand-made hunting decoys and continued doing so through the 1950s. Several examples of their works can be found in the upcoming Decoy & Sporting Art Sale, offered by Guyette and Deeter. With the material and manufacturing progress of the 1960s, however, demand for hand-made decoys began to decline, and the brothers turned to decorative, non-waterfowl carvings of birds such as grouse and flickers. In 1967, Steve Ward carved a lone, monumental eagle that Lem Ward painted. This piece is a featured item in the auction. 

Beyond decoys and decorative birds there are also several cigar store trade signs by several artists, vintage bullfighting posters from Spain, a horsehair upholstered sofa from the 1930s by Frits Hinningsen, books and magazines related to decoys and hunting, and more. There are also several fine art paintings in the sale by artists such as Theodore Waddell, Tom Lieber, Jim Foote, and Seth Steward. Visit Bidsquare to find the complete catalog and browse other online auctions.