Master Carver Chris Boone, owner of Swan Shadow Decoys in Matthews, North Carolina, has been carving for 40 years. The great appeal of his decoys like this swan is that they embody nature's beauty in their shapes and surfaces. They are the antithesis of smooth, shiny, painted decoys (note the lack of eyes). Chris Boone personally selected the piece of North Carolina wood he would use, taking into consideration the bark, splits, knots and marks that he left as is to make each sculpture one of a kind. (This swan has a pecan body and a pine neck and head.) He hand applied a finish to bring out the grain of the wood and to effect a weathered antique style.

When Chris Boone created this swan in 2000, he made four sizes; this one at 16 inches long is the largest and sold for $580.00 at Gallery 30 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (they are sold out, of course). The swan is 3 1/2 inches across the breast, measures about 7 inches tall to the top of its head and weighs 3 pounds. It has a leather loop on its breast for rigging and anchoring and a cord wrapped around its neck that has a pyramid shaped lead weight attached.

The swan is hand signed on the bottom: Chris Boone 2000 and has an underlined number 9 written under its tail...probably denoting the 9th one in this size he made. The underside has an area of a somewhat sticky white substance, which looks like it could be scraped off, although we did not attempt it. The decoy sits flat and steady and does not need a stand for display (ours is not included...sorry).

This sculptural decoy is in excellent condition, with every nick and crack and the beautiful bark on the sides and back part of the original piece of wood, true gifts from nature.

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