Bidspirit auction | American Folk Art Turtle Fishing

American Folk Art Turtle Fishing Decoy - This is a hand-carved and painted wooden turtle fishing decoy, identified as a piece of American folk art traditionally used for ice fishing. The decoy features a solid body with a domed shell, a projecting neck and head, and a tapered tail. Four individual flippers made from flat sheet metal are inset into the sides of the body to provide stability in water. A single metal screw eye is mounted at the top center of the shell for suspension. The head is detailed with two small inset eyes that appear to be metal or glass beads. The shell is painted in a dark olive-brown color and decorated with a pattern of circular red spots, each outlined by a yellow ring. The neck, head, tail, and underside are finished in a reddish-brown earth tone. Length: 7.5 inches (from snout to tip of tail) Width: 4.5 inches (across the front flippers).