Description: Original letter from Byron Cheever, Publisher of North American Decoys, expressing Cheever's willingness to publish Wendell Gilley's book and asking questions about publication and printing details.
Description: Wendell suggests carvings he had on hand that could be photographed to illustrate his book. Birds he suggests are: bob white quail, scaled quail, flock of 7 Canada geese, pair of Wilson snipe, pair of grouse, single woodcock, several miniature birds of all types, great blue heron with trout in mouth, group of three pintails, life size eagle, pair of life size wood duck, spotted sandpiper on mussel shell, life size pileated woodpecker, pair of eagles with two babies in nest. [show more]
Description: This letter is a reply to the Gilley Museum Director's request for a garden to be donated by the Garden Club of Mount Desert. It also mentions a carving of three gulls on a driftwood based that Mrs. Bancroft commissioned from Wendell Gilley.
Description: The letter writer is asking for more information on Wendell Gilley after watching a Boston television program profiling him. She also mentions owning a Gilley carving of a mallard pair.
Description: Letter describes Mr. Silver's visit to Elmer Crowell's workshop where he purchased several miniature bird carvings, and his subsequent visit to Wendell Gilley's workshop. Enclosed are photographs of a greater yellowlegs and a duck carved by Crowell. Silver also describes Wendell Gilley's trip to Abercrombie and Fitch where he was inspired to start bird carving.
Description: Christmas card featuring a carving of a family of bald eagles, the female perched on the edge of the nest of two chicks, the male on a branch above with wings spread. Marked 1969 on reverse of card
Description: Christmas card featuring a carved barn owl on a piece of driftwood. Signed "Addie & Wendell Gilley." Marked "Xmas 1976" on reverse side of card
Description: Christmas card featuring a carved saw-whet owl surrounded by snow covered greenery. Signed "Sincerely, Wendell & Addie Gilley" and dated 1967 on reverse side of card
Description: Letter to the President of Warren Tool Co., Fred Clark, concerning wood carving tools and ways of holding tools on a work bench. Also mentioned is a grouse carving loaned to Harry Meech, one of the founders of the National Carvers Museum.
Description: Describes Wendell Gilley's visit to Herkimer New York where in 1967 Fenner invited him to be guest speaker at the National Woodcarvers Association Woodcarving Show held there. This letter is accompanied by photos of Wendell Gillley at the show.
Description: Letter to the president of Warren Tool Co. from artist Ekstrom about an article and artwork of Wendell Gilley's chickadee for Popular Woodworking. Ekstrom describes how he had to carve the chickadee himself before he could finish the article.
Description: Notecard reads "Dear Nina: We are lifelong summer residents of SWH and had the great fortune growing up to meet Wendell several times in his workshop while he was carving birds for my grandparents which we now cherish. My mother Linda Madara was asked by Downeast Magazine to write a story about Wendell and to photograph him and his carvings. We came across the text and original copy this summer and thought you may want it for the archives. Best regards, Ted Madara" Note accompanies a typescript of the magazine article, "Wendell Gilley - The Art of Fine Bird Carving" and photographic negatives. [show more]
Description: The published version of this draft appeared with the title "A Visit with Wendell Gilley, A Legend in the Carving World" in the National Carver's Museum publication, The Mallet. The author indicates that in Nov. 1979 Wendell told him about the planned building of the Wendell Gilley Museum.
Description: Letter thanking Fred Clark, President of Warren Tool Co., for promoting the Gilley Museum in its catalog. The letter also describes winter events at the museum as well as the museum's collection of taxidermy.