1984 Decoy Hand-Carved Signed California Butternut Wood "Ring Bill" Drake Duck

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An exceptional hand-carved, late-20th-century California “Ring Bill” decoy, it's an authentic folk art drake duck sculpted in 1984 by artisan … Read more An exceptional hand-carved, late-20th-century California “Ring Bill” decoy, it's an authentic folk art drake duck sculpted in 1984 by artisan Bud Garlick from solid butternut wood—also known as white walnut—highlighting the bird's feathered features with wood grain, adding a gorgeous golden glow and deep, swirling, rounded patterns. He followed the natural contours of the bird's back. Living in Placerville near the American River Gold Rush area, Bud became a highly regarded California wildlife artisan, representing an era of skilled, passionate mid-to-late 20th-century woodcrafters and craftsmen who specialized in continuing traditional, low-yield pieces carved entirely by hand. Bud's Ben Franklin store was a supplier of art and craft products during the era of the first Thomas Kinkade studio next door. Bridging traditional Americana folk art with clean, minimalist-modern lines, the piece features a traditional hollow-body construction method engineered to reduce overall weight for hunters transporting rigs into the marsh. By achieving this buoyant design, the bird's body was split horizontally, hand-hollowed, and permanently rejoined with a visible quarter-inch bottom seam line along the base. This one's intriguing internal rattle inside the hollow cavity displays a hallmark of this authentic construction style, likely from a ballast weight snapped loose over the decades. The smooth finish captures the sleek neck contours and elegant upswept tail, elevating it from a standard hunting tool into a highly refined studio-crafted piece. Striking the perfect balance between rustic cabin charm and refined sculptural artistry, an unpainted, high-polish wood that has some age-related wear, and is ideal as a high-end decorative object, styling masculine office bookshelves, transitional mantle displays, or curated library vignettes. The flat base offers a clean, handwritten festive ink inscription to his relative, “Ring Bill / Butternut Wood / Made by Bud Garlick / Christmas 1984," to serve as a built-in authenticity and provenance remaining hidden beneath. Bud Garlick moved his studio to Vacaville, near San Francisco, primarily to follow migrating wildlife from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and to draw creative inspiration. The nearby riparian habitats of California’s wide rivers and sweeping marshlands follow the Pacific flyway and expansive wetlands, which are home to large numbers of migratory waterfowl. The decoy art seamlessly accents minimalist Organic Modern living rooms, Hollywood Regency, or eclectic Grandmillennial bookshelves with texture and provenance. See less