William Bowman
1824 - 1906 Lawrence, Long Island, New York While much about the life of William Bowman remains elusive, some information about him has been generally accepted as fact. He lived his entire life in Maine where he earned a living as a cabinet maker and as a lumberman. He would, however, annually travel to Lawrence on Long Island, New York for the sole purpose of gunning snipe, and he left when the snipe departed. It was on Long Island where he presumably carved his ducks and shorebirds, and he is, thus, best known, and properly referred to, as a Long Island decoy maker. He has been described as somewhat of a hermit, living and working in a tent on the beach or in a nearby fishing shack. His carving output seemed to be in direct proportion to his need for decoys for his own rig or as his supply of available funds dictated. His shorebird carvings characteristically have recessed eye sockets, wings carved in deep natural relief, and possess primaries rising above the tail. As stated in “Gunners Paradise” by Townsend: “The decoys by William Bowman are tours de force of remarkable realism. They combine a craftsman’s absolute control of his medium and a naturalist knowledge of the physical structure and behavior patterns of birds.” While not overly prolific, the quality of his work has unquestionably earned him permanent status as one of the very best of Long Island’s premier carvers. Ref: “The Decoys of Long Island,” Sieger, Timothy, R. 2010. Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury, MD. Townsend, Jane E. 1979. “Gunners Paradise – Wildfowling and Decoys on Long Island,” Museums at Stony Brook, NY.
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140. Very rare pintail drake, William Bowman, Lawrence, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Hollow carved with relief wing carving. Original paint; moderate wear; several very small dents; thin crack through neck; one shot mark in side. Literature: “Decoys of Long Island,” Alan Haid, Timothy Sieger, Geoffrey, Ron McGrath, and Dick Richardson. (5,000 - 8,000)
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