My latest ebay find by the late Hugh Moss of Traverse City Mi.

Charles Murphy
 

In response to the post of the Charles Murphy drawings I have most of all the book and drawings he did.
It is hard to find his stuff as he did not make a lot.
A blue bill by Charles Murphy made in the 80’s , a black duck made in the 70’s and a wood duck made by me in the 80’s with influence by Charley.
I knew charley and took carving and painting lessons from him in the 80’s, he also got me started collecting decoys, unfortunately died to young.
Most of his carving where miniatures.
I will post some decoys by William Foster later as well.

great ducks for sure....lots of talent...charlie

My brother moved up to a 30-foot diesel-powered “down Maine”-style fiberglass Bluefin Tuna fishing boat in 1988. It was a big deal for us.

Delivering her from where she was bought in early Spring, he asked a friend while stopping along the way at a small fishing port, what the species of diving duck was that he was seeing in the harbor. He was told that they were Sheldrakes, capable of diving 60 feet. He then decided that SHELDRAKE would make a good name for his new boat.

Familiar with how wooden half-models used by old-time boat-builders, after serving their intended purpose, often became wall decorations, I asked a young carver if he would make a ¾ model Sheldrake wall decoration to present to my brother as a Christmas gift.

The carver said he had never been asked for anything less than a full-model decoy, be it decorative or user, but would be happy to attempt what I wanted. It would be a first for him.

Pictured below is the result, front and back.

The boat has gone to a new owner; big game fishing is a matter of memories for us now; but the model still decorates my brother's home.