Copley

Ward Brothers Poster "Pintail Decoys" Signed: "Steve Ward, Lem Ward" lower left; "Arthur R. Eakin" lower right Sheet: 19 3/4 by 26 inches Poster after an original painting of a pair of '36 Ward pintail decoys. Signed by the artist and the Ward Brothers. Inscribed "Brothers 1936 Crisfield, Maryland," lower left, "Arthur R. Eakin" and "Collection of G.F. Hanson" lower right.

Carl Clemens Moritz Rungius (1869-1959) Mule Deer, 1927 Signed "C. Rungius" lower right Etching with drypoint, 8 by 11 inches Edition of 50 Sportsman's Edge, Ltd., New York, New York label on back Provenance: Private Collection, California Literature: Donald E. Crouch, "Carl Rungius: The Complete Prints," Missoula, MT, 1989, pp. 85, 129, pl. 20, illustrated.

Francis Lee Jaques (1887-1969) Black Ducks, Federal Duck Stamp Design, 1940 Signed "F.L. Jaques" lower right Lithograph, 9 by 11 inches Inscribed "Federal Duck Stamp Design 1940" lower left Third edition Framed with 1940 Federal Duck Stamp Provenance: Private Collection, Rhode Island

David Maass (b. 1929) Canvasbacks Coming In signed "Maass" lower right oil on board, 26 by 42 in. "Each new painting that comes to us from this artist is a delight, for his range is vast and change is always evident. In some you can feel the approaching storm; in others, the soft fall of leaves coaxed by autumn breezes. His are scenes you've witnessed and with which you want to live." -The Crossroads of Sport An avid sportsman and ardent contributor to conservation organizations, David Maass has been actively painting game birds for more than thirty years. In the past twenty years he has designed more than thirty conservation stamps and prints, a distinction few artists can claim. Over the last several years, Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Minnesota Wildlife Heritage Foundation have each named David Maass their Artist of the Year. Maass' originals and limited edition prints have been exhibited in galleries and shows throughout the country, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin, and the annual Minnesota Wildlife Heritage Foundation Show in Minneapolis. An original Canada goose painting by David Maass is also part of the permanent collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Provenance: The Finnell Family Trust Literature: "The Crossroads of Sport, Inc.," New York, NY, 1977-78, p. 2.

Philip R. Goodwin (1882-1935) October Hunting, 1911 signed �Philip R. Goodwin" lower right oil on canvas, 25 by 36 in. Artistically inclined from a young age, Philip Goodwin began his career at the age of eleven when he sold an illustration to "Collier�s" magazine. In light of their son�s obvious talent, his parents sent him to the Rhode Island School of Design, and later to the Art Students League in New York City, to further his artistic ability. Realizing, however, that illustration was his passion, Goodwin traveled to Pennsylvania to study under famed draftsman Howard Pyle (1853-1911). Impressed by the young artist�s abilities Pyle invited Goodwin to join him in Wilmington, Delaware to continue his studies. Perhaps his most significant contribution to Goodwin�s work was Pyle�s insistence that all good illustration came from first hand knowledge of the subject. He not only encouraged Goodwin to envision models in costume, but to visit locations before depicting them. The artist traveled to the West several times throughout his career, often to visit his friend Charles Russell (1864-1926), who he met while working in New York. In his definitive publication "Philip R. Goodwin, America�s Sporting & Wildlife Artist," Larry Peterson comments on Goodwin�s good fortune of befriending two of the world�s most skilled wildlife artists. He writes, �During a seven-year span, Philip R. Goodwin was given the opportunity to study painting techniques alongside Charles M. Russell, Carl Rungius, and other respected artists of the time. As a result, Goodwin developed a style that with maturity became uniquely his. From Russell he learned compositional themes of humans surprised by animals that often demonstrated anthropomorphic behavior. Rungius instilled confidence to pursue wildlife painting in a time when few artists attempted this particular genre. In combination, Goodwin�s paintings explored matchless natural predicaments.� Russell owned a cabin in Montana, which he built in 1906, on property that four years later would become Glacier National Park. The property, affectionately referred to as �Bull Head Lodge,� was situated on Lake McDonald and offered Goodwin a lush backdrop of raw vegetation, sumptuous forests, and imposing mountain peaks. Goodwin, much like the other great outdoorsmen artists of his time, would paint sketches of landscapes, big game animals, and scenes of daily life on the frontier throughout his travels. Carefully recording every detail from the light, to the vivid colors, to the dress of the local cowboys and Native Americans, he used these vignettes to create large scale works back at his studio in New York. Goodwin managed to earn a living illustrating, publishing works in "Everybody�s," "Harper�s Monthly," "Harper�s Weekly," "Outing," "Persimmon Hill Magazine," and "Scribner�s." Goodwin�s illustrations were also used by Brown and Bigelow for their calendars, as well as in advertisements for several major firearms dealers. These commissions brought about more opportunities for Goodwin, among them, illustrating books by some of the most celebrated authors of the day, including Jack London�s "Call of the Wild" and Theodore Roosevelt�s "African Game Trails." This latter commission was especially notable for the artist, who was hand-picked by Roosevelt to illustrate his book. Goodwin continued to scrape by illustrating, and eventually built up a clientele for his oil paintings as well. The Great Depression, however, hit him hard and he spent the last several years of his life in somewhat perilous financial straits. He passed away of pneumonia on December 14, 1935, but his art continued to be published through "Sports Afield," Brown & Bigelow, and by companies such as Kemper Thomas Company and Standard Oil. "October Hunting" was featured as the frontispiece in "Scribner�s" October 1911 issue. An expertly rendered painting, this pinnacle work has the dynamic elements that Goodwin collectors covet: a strong composition with boldly-painted main figures returning from a successful hunt, and a secondary story with a welcoming party filled with anticipation back at the camp. His knack for telling a story in his paintings lies at the heart of why Goodwin remains so revered by collectors. Though rarely given the accolades of his renowned teacher, Howard Pyle, or his friend Charles Russell, Goodwin in "October Hunting" shows the ability of the student to become the master. Provenance: Private Collection, Virginia Literature: "Scribner�s," October 1911, frontispiece. Larry Len Peterson, "Philip R. Goodwin: America's Sporting & Wildlife Artist," Hayden, ID, 2001, p. 75.