Oscar Peterson Northern Pike Spear Fishing Lure
Made by Oscar Peterson (1887-1951) of Cadillac, Michigan.
This working decoy was made solely for utilitarian purposes sometime around the 1920s.Peterson made them in his Cadillac, Michigan home and sold them to local bait shops as well as to sportsmen and tourists who stopped at his home along the road. Having the original painted and varnished surface, the decoy shows minimal expected paint loss without any touch ups or repairs. (Peterson applied the varnish to protect the paint while the decoy was in the water.) The red gills and mouth are relief carved, the eyes are domed tacks, and the fins are painted metal.This fella even has yellow eyebrows!Within the underside there are two lead-weighted chambers.This is a great representation of a northern pike having realistic light-colored spots on a blended dark background.Note the tail is carved off to one side to make it look more realistic than if it were left straight with the rest of the bodylNote also the 1/2" x 1/4" loss on the underside of the tail.There is a small gouge on one side off the body that conveniently looks like one of the light-colored spots, so it blends right in.We have provided many photos for your review.
Measures 7" long x 1-3/8" left fin to right fin x 7/8" high not including metal hanger.
Please be certain to see our other Oscar Peterson spear fishing decoy of a Perch.
For more info see:
1) "Beneath the Ice: The Art of the Spearfishing Decoy", which opened at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York and toured eight other museums during its two year run.
2) "Michigan's Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson, by Ronald J. Fritz.
Made by Oscar Peterson (1887-1951) of Cadillac, Michigan.
This working decoy was made solely for utilitarian purposes sometime around the 1920s.Peterson made them in his Cadillac, Michigan home and sold them to local bait shops as well as to sportsmen and tourists who stopped at his home along the road. Having the original painted and varnished surface, the decoy shows minimal expected paint loss without any touch ups or repairs. (Peterson applied the varnish to protect the paint while the decoy was in the water.) The red gills and mouth are relief carved, the eyes are domed tacks, and the fins are painted metal.This fella even has yellow eyebrows!Within the underside there are two lead-weighted chambers.This is a great representation of a northern pike having realistic light-colored spots on a blended dark background.Note the tail is carved off to one side to make it look more realistic than if it were left straight with the rest of the bodylNote also the 1/2" x 1/4" loss on the underside of the tail.There is a small gouge on one side off the body that conveniently looks like one of the light-colored spots, so it blends right in.We have provided many photos for your review.
Measures 7" long x 1-3/8" left fin to right fin x 7/8" high not including metal hanger.
Please be certain to see our other Oscar Peterson spear fishing decoy of a Perch.
For more info see:
1) "Beneath the Ice: The Art of the Spearfishing Decoy", which opened at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York and toured eight other museums during its two year run.
2) "Michigan's Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson, by Ronald J. Fritz.
Made by Oscar Peterson (1887-1951) of Cadillac, Michigan.
This working decoy was made solely for utilitarian purposes sometime around the 1920s.Peterson made them in his Cadillac, Michigan home and sold them to local bait shops as well as to sportsmen and tourists who stopped at his home along the road. Having the original painted and varnished surface, the decoy shows minimal expected paint loss without any touch ups or repairs. (Peterson applied the varnish to protect the paint while the decoy was in the water.) The red gills and mouth are relief carved, the eyes are domed tacks, and the fins are painted metal.This fella even has yellow eyebrows!Within the underside there are two lead-weighted chambers.This is a great representation of a northern pike having realistic light-colored spots on a blended dark background.Note the tail is carved off to one side to make it look more realistic than if it were left straight with the rest of the bodylNote also the 1/2" x 1/4" loss on the underside of the tail.There is a small gouge on one side off the body that conveniently looks like one of the light-colored spots, so it blends right in.We have provided many photos for your review.
Measures 7" long x 1-3/8" left fin to right fin x 7/8" high not including metal hanger.
Please be certain to see our other Oscar Peterson spear fishing decoy of a Perch.
For more info see:
1) "Beneath the Ice: The Art of the Spearfishing Decoy", which opened at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York and toured eight other museums during its two year run.
2) "Michigan's Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson, by Ronald J. Fritz.