collection 03
The Aviary
Birds of a Feather
Bird carvings are an enjoyable collection to display. They are quiet, with no clean up. Birds carved of wood and stone have value based on the artist and technique, and of course like all things collected, rarity. Many birds in the collection are anonymous, their maker unknown. I never have been interested in how “real” a bird looks. What I look for is the unique individuality of the carver’s hand.
Click on any image for larger view. Unless noted below, all birds are Anonymous.
Miles Carpenter (1889 -1985)
Bluejay, c. 1970
Anonymous
Bluejay, c. 1980
Anonymous, Missouri
Crow, c. 1960s
William Dawson (1901 -1990)
“I set out to carve every state bird in the United States, just something to do I guess—for the Bicentennial.”
Carl McKenzie (1905 - 1998)