Description: Painted board with miniature flying mallard attached. Inscribed on back "Given to J.E. Brown by Wendelll Gilley circ. 1936"; "Presented to the Gilley Museum July 1984."
Description: Solitary sandpiper perched with wings upright on driftwood branch ; spotted sandpiper standing, body tilted downward, on carved oblong base. Signed "Gilley" on left front of oblong base ; no date
Description: Owl looking over left shoulder, glass eyes, wire toes. Signed "Gilley" on rear of driftwood base. Underside of base stamped Wendell H. Gilley.
Description: Signed "Gilley" on right of carved wooden base. Underside of base marked "'Ring-neck Ducks' by Wendell Gilley, Southwest Harbor Maine ; Made especially for Dr. Claud F. Young". Not dated.
Description: One of five eiders Wendell Gilley wanted to make for the museum at the end of his life. He was able to complete three. "Gilley" engraved on undersides of body and head.
Description: Carved at the request of Addie Gilley, who was inspired by an illustration in a book about birds of the world. Signed "Gilley" on bottom of driftwood branch. Underside of base marked "Native of India, Sumatra, Indo China".
Description: One chickadee hanging upside down near top of branch above second chickadee perched on lower part of branch. Branch attached to carved oval wooden base. Underside of base inscribed "Chickadees by Wendell Gilley S.W. Harbor, Maine. No date visible.
Description: Saw-whet owl looking to the side, perched on driftwood branch. Underside of driftwood inscribed Saw Whet Owl by W.H. Gilley 1969. Signed "Gilley" on lower part of driftwood near owl's tail.
Description: Saw-whet owl looking to the side, perched on driftwood branch attached to carved wooden base by single screw. Underside of base inscribed Saw-whet Owl 1/2 life size made for Mary Holmes 1973. Signed "Gilley" on lower part of driftwood branch.
Description: Great blue heron standing on driftwood branch. Metal legs and feet. Branch signed "Gilley '73" near feet. Underside inscribed "Gt. Blue Heron", "Addie Gilley",
Description: Approx. 1/2 life size; adult swimming, flat bottom, carved and painted fish in beak, head tilted left; glass eyes, carved and painted decorative detail. Signed "Gilley" and marked "Addie Gilley" on underside of base. Dated "1946"
Description: Decorative three dimensional eagle plaque, head turned left, painted gold, made from two pieces of wood. Has screw eye for hanging. Signed " W.H. Gilley" on back of right wing. Marked "Addie Gilley."
Description: Adult, standing on mesquite base, tail erect ; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned, and painted detail ; carved circa 1977, painted and completed winter, 1981. Signed "Gilley" with artist's branding iron on flat side of base. Companion piece 81.1.175.
Description: Life-size adult "running" on mesquite base ; glass eyes, metal feet, carved, burned and painted detail ; carved circa 1977, painted and completed winter 1981. Unsigned. Companion piece 81.1.174.
Description: Miniature adult; glass eyes, wire legs set into smooth round base with painted feet; body horizontal, head semi-erect, facing forward; underside of base marked/signed "Addie Gilley, by W. H. Gilley." Elmer Crowell copy
Description: Life size; clinging to twig in characteristic upside-down position, twig screwed to shaped wooden base; pinhead eyes, wire legs and feet, detail in color and relief; Signed "Gilley '73." Marked "Chickadee for Addie Gilley, 1973" on underside.
Description: Approx. 1/4 life size; three part composition: one swimming, flat-bottomed adult, two swimming, flat-bottomed chicks; adult's head turned slightly to left, with glass eyes and painted detail; chick a's head is erect, chick b's head is down, both have burned detail. Adult marked, dated, signed "Loon, made for Addie Gilley by W.H. Gilley, 1973" on underside. Chicks unmarked.
Description: Two chickadees, near life size, on driftwood, both with glass eyes, metal legs and feet, carved and painted detail ; both upright, left chickadee has head down. Signed, dated on rear of base "Gilley '58".
Description: Miniature adult on driftwood base stands erect, neck [?] back, head up, glass eyes, metal legs, feet, and crest feathers, painted details. Signed on lower right of base "Gilley."
Description: L-shaped driftwood branch serves as base for three gulls, positioned (left to right) taking off, raising wings, standing erect ; birds show totally different bill carvings, and the similar but minutely different paint indicates a transitional period (1940's?); unsigned
Description: Adult male perched facing downward on driftwood branch attached to carved oblong base. Glass eyes ; wire and metal legs and feet. Oval pine base gouged and stained ; underside of base covered in felt. No visible signature or date
Description: Now known as American Wigeon ; marked "Baldpate '74, #28" on underside of base ; humped "clamshell" base is a driftwood burl ; wire legs and metal feet with tiny talons; signed "Gilley" on left front of base
Description: Adult male, body held horizontal and low with tail fanned and pin arched upward ; head fully outstretched, twisted upward and to the right ; wire legs and metal webbed feet ; glass eyes ; signed "Gilley '61" on right rear side of base
Description: Adult male on gnarled driftwood root; glass eyes, wire legs and cut metal feet. Signed "Gilley '78" on oblong pine base ; underside of base marked "Evening Grosbeak #33"
Description: Adult male perched on branching twig on carved pine base ; wire legs and metal feet with talons grasping the branch ; glass eyes. Entire body covered with fine incised lines, deeper where suggesting primaries and tail feathers. Underside of base marked "Red-winged blackbird by W. H. Gilley 1977".
Description: Adult in swimming position, head erect on slightly bent neck facing straight forward; glass eyes ; signed "Gilley 72" on underside where felt is cut away
Description: Adult male, approximately life size, sitting on twig, head slightly cocked and turned left ; no visible legs, cut metal talons ; glass eyes. Signed in felt tip pen "by W. H. Gilley" and dated 1976 on underside of base; also faintly signed on top lower right of base
Description: Adult woodcock with feet stretching downward over face of the domed burl base ; head erect facing straight ahead with long bill pointed downward ; glass eyes, wire legs and metal feet. Signed "Gilley '80" on right side of base ; Marked "Woodcock by W.H. Gilley 1980" on underside of base.
Description: Adult on small driftwood base ; body appears to be "bobbing" downward ; tail swept up, wing tips folded over ; glass eyes, wire legs and metal feet ; body covered overall with finely incised lines. Signed, dated and marked "Semipalmated Plover (Lifesize) by W.H. Gilley, 1975" on underside of base.
Description: Smooth oval pine disc base with gnarled driftwood root ; midway up the driftwood is mounted the bird, carved in characteristic seed-opening position with tail braced downward and bill pointed at ground ; glass eyes, wire legs, and metal feet grasping "branch." Signed "Gilley" on top edge of base. No date
Description: Gull in adult plumage, head erect and straight ahead, wing tips balanced high over tail, feet braced on a navigational buoy called a red nun. Glass eyes, wire legs and metal feet. Buoy painted with white Arabic numeral "4". Carved oval pine base, gouge-carved and painted to resemble sea water. No date visible.
Description: Adult standing on weathered driftwood base, right leg retracted, neck slightly outstretched, head erect and looking ahead, bill curved slightly downward ; glass eyes, wire legs and metal feet. Signed on top of base near left foot: "Gilley" in felt tip pen ; also on underside, "Spotted Sandpiper by W.H. Gilley, 1979"
Description: Adult male in a naturalistic, though simplified pose, mounted on the larger prong of a smooth, two-pronged driftwood branch ; ovoid gouge-carved pine base ; glass eyes, wire legs and broadly-spread toes gripping driftwood "tree". Signed "Gilley" on back of driftwood mount near the base. No date
Description: Adult male Eastern bluebird ; ovoid pine base with multi-twigged branch rising from off-center; narrow-bodied bird sits on a lower twig, head turned to left and slightly raised ; glass eyes, metal feet, no visible legs. Inscribed: "Bluebird by Wendell Gilley for Harold and Gladys Townsend Xmas 1976" on underside of base
Description: Adult male sitting in the crotch of a Y shaped twig mount, body facing forward but head turned completely to the left ; glass eyes ; swirled driftwood root base. Signed "Gilley" and dated '71 on underside of base. Appears to have been overmarked '72
Description: Adult bird balances on the front face of burl base with wire legs and toes with talons clutching downward ; deeply arched back with vertical tail and bill pointing almost to sky. Glass eyes. Signed "Gilley/'78" on top edge of base. Underside of base marked "House Wren 1978, #34" and stamped "Wendell H. Gilley".
Description: Resting bird, head slightly tucked, bill downwards, tail swept up and wing tips cropped; minimal carved detail, incised wings ; glass eyes, metal legs and feet with talons clutching downward on driftwood burl base. Signed "Gilley" on top of base, lower left; no date on piece but approximately 1948.
Description: Adult male roadrunner in a typical "striding" position, head outstretched with slightly dropped wings. Minimal carved detail, more developed painted detail. Glass eyes, wire legs, metal feet. Mounted on oval pine base, gouge-carved and painted. Marked on underside of base in ballpoint pen: "Road Runner"; signed "Gilley" on lower edge of top of base. No date
Description: Canvasback drake in swimming position, adult plumage, scant carved detail ; completely withdrawn head, turned slightly to the right. Signed "by W. H. Gilley 1971"
Description: Adult male and female mounted on pine and twig base, the lower bird (female) in downward crouching position, the male perched on lower fork of twig ; wire legs and metal feet, glass eyes ; signed "Gilley" on carved base.
Description: Glass eyes ; wire and metal feet and legs ; feet are atop a "stump" of a small branch mounted in turn on a carved pine base. Underside of base marked "Hermit Thrush by Wendell Gilley 1977.
Description: Male bufflehead in adult plumage, swimming position ; head withdrawn and turned slightly to the left ; glass eyes, matte black, white, greys with minimal body detail ; blending of red/orange on head behind white wedge. Underside signed in pyrographic scratching "W.H.G." "Gilley" branded in script. Also written in felt-tip pen " '82 Buffle-Head".
Description: Blue jay with real acorn in its beak perched on driftwood branch on oval base ; wire and metal legs and feet ; glass eyes ; signed "Gilley" on front of base ; no date
Description: Herring gull in adult plumage, taking off from a smooth burl driftwood base ; carved with minimum of detail; outside wing edges notched to suggest feathers; painted eyes, bill, legs and feet. W.H.G. marked on underside of base ; no date on piece but probably from the 1940s
Description: Pair of adult herons on roughly "x" shaped driftwood mount. On lower right arm of the "x" a heron in hunting posture is loosely mounted. On upper arm of the x, another heron is depicted in a guarding posture. Twin metal-strip crest, glass eyes, metal feet and legs realistically painted. Signed "Gilley" on top side of sand-finished oblong base, lower right.
Description: One of sixty-one carvings exhibited in a major museum retrospective "Downeast Bird Carvings by Wendell Gilley" at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia in 1976/77. Adult male northern flicker in a feeding position on driftwood mount ; glass eyes, cast lead feet with curved talons "gripping" the curves of the driftwood ; signed "Gilley" in black ink on lower left of the upper surface of the mount ; additionally signed on the flat underside of the base in three separate areas: "Yellow-shafted Flicker" and "By W.H. Gilley 1969" and "Made especially for Dr. & Mrs. J.L. Hollander." [show more]
Description: Very early Gilley diorama ; carved and painted American goldeneye against painted winter scene on board. Marked "Made about 1935 Wendell Gilley" on back. Signed "Gilley on bottom front.
Description: Figure permanently mounted on round footed base, intended to be covered with a glass dome. Top of base is a 3/4 inch diameter inner-ground of fine sand. Heron has cast lead legs and feet, lead-strip crest feathers, glass eyes. Signed "Gilley" on side of driftwood "stump" below left side of bird ; no date.
Description: Birds painted in summer plumage. Bottom of driftwood base marked "Made for Hilda + Hulda Bragdon, Xmas 1971." Signed "Gilley" on right front of base.
Description: Six-board pine box, lap-joined and nailed, with clear acrylic finish ; rounded-edge lift cover, carved underneath to set in box cavity. Five-inch long mallard is screw-mounted lengthwise in the center of cover ; has two curled lead-strip tail-curls, glass eyes. Marked "Made for Hilda and Hulda Bragdon" on underside of box. Signed "Made by Wendell Gilley" and dated 1950 (in a circle).
Description: Carving of a half-bodied mallard duck in flight superimposed on a painted scene of shoreline and water ; duck approximately seven inches long, six inches high ; both legs are broken off and missing ; traces of practice painting on reverse ; edges painted silver ; signed bottom right "Gilley"
Description: Adult male in breeding plumage depicted on a wooden piling attached to egg-shaped pine base ; cast lead legs and feet, glass eyes ; signed "Gilley '75" on front of base. Underside of base marked: "Hilda and Hulda Bragdon, 1975" and signed "by Wendell Gilley"
Description: One marked "Made for Hilda Bragdon by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base. The other marked "Made for Hulda Bragdon by W.H. Gilley" on underside of base. Both dated 1970.
Description: Adult male goldfinch in summer plumage sitting on real branch ; "Gilley" signature on front topside of base almost completely faded ; additionally underside bears jackknife rubber stamp Gilley mark ; underside of base marked "Wedding gift to Joe + Anne Bragdon from Wendell H. Gilley + Addie" ; dated Oct, 4, 1981.
Description: Adult bald eagle, approximately one-sixth life-size, sitting upright on small driftwood knot ; lead feet with talons realistically gripping the base ; undercut wing tips crossed over carved tail ; Signed "Gilley" on left side of driftwood base; marked "Hilda, Hulda Bragdon, Xmas 1973" on underside of base
Description: Two adult birds on a roughly "J" shaped driftwood base ; glass eyes ; cast lead legs and feet. Signed "Gilley" on right side of driftwood base below the sitting gull ; inscribed "Made for Hilda - Hulda Bragdon 1972" on underside of base.
Description: Family of bald eagles, the female perched on the edge of the nest containing two chicks, the male on a branch above with wings spread ; signed "Gilley" on base ; no visible date