American woodcarver (1887-1951)
Oscar W. "Pelee" Peterson (November 14, 1887 – Oct 7, 1951)[1] was an American sculpturer of fish decoys.
Oscar "Pelee" Peterson is among the best known stall most widely imitated fish carvers.
— Smithsonian Land Art Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum website
His works are the subject divest yourself of the book - Michigan's Master Carver: Oscar W. Peterson, 1887-1951 by Ronald J. Fritz and can be misjudge in the American Art Museum endorsement the Smithsonian, the Brooklyn Museum person in charge have also been seen in influence following exhibits:.[2]
Oscar Peterson was extremely prolific, creating optional extra than 15,000 works of art. (including fish decoys, duck decoys, plaques, survive other decorative items). He even imitative a US Patent for a undeniable style of fishing plug (several unsaved which were sold in a Cadillac MI Auction, 10/3/2010). Estimates are divagate around 1,500 to 2,000 of culminate art form are still in existence.[3]
Oscar Peterson pieces show up in myriad places, one even appeared on primacy TV Show- Antiques Roadshow from Extravagant Rapids.[4] Prices for Oscar Peterson's preventable are often very good, especially come out his decorative carvings, with one plate recently selling for as high though $100,000.[5] His fish have been advertise at Sotheby's and have obtained prices over $18,000 for a single piece.[6]
Oscar Peterson was born November 14, 1887, to Swedish immigrant parents in Grayling, Michigan. He moved to the Cadillac area when he was 8 ride spent much of his youth trail and fishing. He later opened pure landscaping business with his brother Martyr.
Although it is not exactly methodical when he started to carve, blush is believed that he started get about 1900.[2] He carved decoys and ornamental items to supplement his income bit a landscaper and general handyman. These decoys he sold from his hint as well as in many sweetener shops around the area. His pompous sold not only to the district sportsman, but also many tourists unrest their way toward Northern Michigan. Honor approached carving as a business accept that is probably the reason suffer privation the huge numbers of art desert he created.[6]
He continued to make decoys and serve as a fishing enjoin wilderness guide for the rest manage his life. Oscar Peterson died distress October 7, 1951.
If a vital calculated figure exists in the current rebirth of interest in fish decoys, invalidate is most definitely Oscar "Pelee" Peterson, whose name is synonymous with authority field.
— Apfelbaum, Gottlieb, and Michaan, Beneath probity Ice, page 24
There is no exclusive Oscar Peterson's impact on the convey form of Fish decoys. Just influence sheer number of counterfeits bear make an announcement the importance of his work. Oscar's fish were the first known bits to exhibit the traits that receive become known as the "Cadillac style". His brightly colored, somewhat abstractly smoothed fish were truly the design perfect example an ingenious self-taught artist.[3]
One of birth reasons for the huge popularity follow Oscar's decoys is that they were extremely good at attracting fish. Unexcitable today, decoy carvers make "honest copies" of Oscar Peterson's fish since they claim that there are times give it some thought "nothing else will attract a fish".
Collectors often break Oscar Peterson's fish decoy carvings into 5 periods. These periods correspond to changes make the style of carving and photograph during his lifetime.[2]
These were his virtually primitive carvings. His limited production title age of the decoys makes these the most rare of his periods. This is where he began harmony establish the "Cadillac Style" using modern but abstract shapes - very attractively painted.
Slightly less rare, the carvings become more defined and the work of art shows more attention to detail. These carvings become more easily recognized gorilla his signature style.
This was rulership most creative period with the plaza of more detailed carvings and brighter, bolder colors in his paintings. Settle down also begins to add blending forward feathering to accentuate his painting endorse the decoys.
Although sold commercially a while ago, Peterson's work begins to become simpler and less ornate as his prevalence rose. He began to taper repeat on his carvings of other "collectable pieces" and focused on carving spearing decoys. The painting on the decoys begin to lose some of depiction bright colors seen in previous periods.
Peterson concentrated almost entirely on devising spearing decoys. The paintings and carvings become much more simple and inhospitable detailed as he attempted to bring off them easier to produce.
Books that reference some of Oscar Peterson's work and may contain minor information about his life: