Guy Taplin (British, b. 1939), Sleeping Scaup, carved and polychrome painted wood sculpture of a large sleeping duck with black head, breast and tail. 7-3/4"H x 14"L x 8"W. Accompanied by five Taplin sales postcards including a similar scaup. Provenance: Private Nashville collection. Acquired by the consignors directly from the artist while they were living in England 1983-1984. Biography: Self-taught artist Guy Taplin was born in London on the eve of WWII. A bird lover since childhood, he taught himself to create decorative decoy duck type figures out of driftwood using basic found materials. His work has received international recognition and examples are owned by the Royal Family and the Tate Museum. Condition: The sculpture has a thick shell-like layer of paint over wood which has been affected by overall expansion and contraction. There are cracks affecting the entire paint layer in the area around the neck and breast area, including 1" and 1-1/2" chips (partial paint chip retained) and some shallow hairline cracks at the lower base of the neck in back. Crack and minute abrasions at tail area.