Description: Wendell Gilley is a name well known among carvers and carving collectors. Author of The Art of Bird Carving: A Guide to a Fascinating Hobby, one of the earliest instructional books on the subject, Gilley was a pioneer in the field of decorative bird carving. By his estimate, he created “ten thousand birds of pine and paint” between 1931 and 1983. (Gilley also loved alliteration; it should be noted that most of his carvings were made of basswood.) [show more]
Description: Addie Gilley’s created an outstanding collection of her husband’s work. The carvings that Addie so wisely saved over the years became the core of the Museum’s permanent collection. Wendell and Addie were the guests of honor at the opening of the Gilley Museum on July 12, 1981. They remained active in the museum until their deaths a few months apart in 1983.
Description: Miniature flying black duck; upper wing wired for hanging; no legs, marked underside of right wing: “Addie Gilley,” underside of left wing: “Black duck, Gilley.” Carved and painted detail of plumage; Early 10 birds.
Description: A guide to a fascinating hobby! Wendell Gilley was a bird watcher and artist who carved birds in wood on Mount Desert Island, Maine. He started out carving two-inch wooden birds for Abercrombie & Fitch. The book is beautifully illustrated with color photographs and with drawings.
Description: Life size; mounted on driftwood base, standing erect, left leg raised, head turned right; glass eyes, metal legs, burnt, carved and painted detail. Signed “Addie Gilley, Upland Plover, 1974, W.H Gilley” on underside of base. Small cracks at juncture of legs and body. Also called upland sandpiper. Companion piece no. 81.1.98.
Description: Life size adult ; perched on twig, mounted on carved oblong base; glass eyes, metal legs and feet, upright posture, head turned slightly to left. Signed “Gilley ’76” on rear end of base. Some blue paint on base; underside marked “11;” Phillips head screw attaching base to twig.
Description: Miniature; flying carving, wire screwed into body for hanging; glass eyes, painted details of plumage and feet, some carved feather detail in wings; incorrect beak detail; artist copied from painting w/o front perspective. Signed: "Gilley" on white upper flank patch; "Addie Gilley" marked on underside of breast. Companion pieces: 81.1.15, 81.1.16.
Description: Miniature; Flying, screw eye in body for hanging, one extra hole present beneath screw eye; painted eyes, carved feet, feather detail carved into wings and tail, King Eider beak marking absent. Carved after the fashion of A. J. Dando's birds owned by Caroll Tyson. Signed: "Gilley," on underside of upper wing; Marked "Addie Gilley," on underside of lower wing.
Description: Miniature; flying, wire screwed into body for hanging; glass eyes, painted feet and plumage, carved feather detail in wings. Signed "Giley," under left wing; marked "Addie Gilley."
Description: 1/5 life size; on natural wooden base, hunched over as if watching for prey, toes positioned, 3 point back instead of natural 2:2; glass eyes, painted and carved detail. Signed: "Gilley '76" on right of base. Underside marked "Barn Owl by W.H. Gilley, Addie Gilley 1976."
Description: 3/4 life size; outstretched wings, alighting on driftwood limb mounted on carved oblong base, Phillips head screw in base, toes 3:1; glass eyes, carved and painted plumage detail. Signed: "Gilley '72" on lower right side of base. Underside marked: "Addie Gilley, xmas 1972."
Description: 1/4 life size; folded wings, perched on natural base; glass eyes, painted, semi-detailed plumage markings. Signed: "Gilley '73" on right side of base.
Description: Two carvings, 1/3 Life size (chickadee is in proportion to owl); mounted on natural wood, owl at bottom facing forward, chickadee perched on branch to the left and above the owl. On owl, two toes forward and two backward; no feet on chickadee; glued onto branch, Chickadee has pinhead black eyes, owl has glass eyes, both with painted and carved detail. Signed: "Gilley '72"; marked "l. eared owl," on underside of base.
Description: 1/10 life size; perched on driftwood piece attached to carved wooden base, owl's head turned over left shoulder; glass eyes, painted detail. Signed "Gilley," on top of stamp, marked "Addie Gilley," on underside of base.
Description: Life size; perched in downward stance on twig attached to carved wooden oblong base ; glass eyes, metal feet/legs ; blue paint partially rubbed off of head, back, and sides to give natural effect. Signed: "Gilley '76" on right side of base. Underside numbered "5."
Description: Life size; mounted on pear-shaped carved wooden base, perched sideways on branch, head turned forward; glass eyes. Signed "Gilley '76" on lower right. Underside marked: "Blue Bird by W.H Gilley 1976, 15."
Description: Life size adult in semi-upright stance, perched on twig attached to pear-shaped carved wooden base; glass eyes, has "observant look" ; metal legs/feet ; painted detail. Signed on base: "Gilley, '76." Underside marked: "Addie Gilley, 1976, 10."
Description: Life size, slightly oversized; perched on twig, mounted on carved oblong wooden base, horizontal stand, facing forward; glass eyes. Signed: "Gilley, '76" on right side of base, number 4 of 16. Underside marked "4 Addie Gilley."
Description: Life size; horizontal stand, perched with one foot in crotch of twig, one up on branch, twig mounted in oblong mound, carved wooden base. Signed "Gilley '76" on lower right of base, underside marked: "Bluebird by Wendell Gilley, 1976, 7."
Description: Miniature; mounted on natural wooden base, upright posture, tail fanned open horizontally; glass eyes, carved feet, highly detailed painted plumage. Signed "Gilley" on right rear of base, Underside of base marked: "Addie Gilley, Ruffed Grouse by W.H. Gilley, 1966."
Description: Miniature male in display; head turned towards left, left foot forward on pear-shaped smooth wooden base; glass eyes, wire legs, highly detailed plumage; multi-piece. Signed and marked under base: "Gilley, 1946, Ruffed Grouse, Addie Gilley."
Description: Miniature group on natural wooden base: male upright, wings hanging down, wire legs, painted feet; female nestled on wood, chicks between parent birds. Great degree of painted detail depicting adult and immature plumage. Signed "Gilley" on right side of base, underside marked: "Addie Gilley, Gilley."