Name/Title
Henry Gibson Decorative Box CallsEntry/Object ID
VTC001A0001Description
While box calls were being made in the 1800s, Henry Clay Gibson (1848-1930) of Dardanelle, Arkansas, was the first to obtain a patent. He was issued U.S. Patent #574,534 on January 5, 1897, for his “Turkey Caller and Gobbler.” His patent showed a hewn-out, one-piece base for the box, but few of those exist, and he would use a sawn-and-glued model to produce calls more efficiently (M.L. Lynch would later take the same approach). While we can't say when he began decorative wood-burning on his boxes, we have a few examples of these beautiful works of art. Decorative Gibson boxes are intricately carved, with his name on the call, and often the recipient of the call as well. Hunting scenes are reminiscent of a fall turkey hunter with dogs, and there are some common "tells" in the patterns, letters, and illustrations that strengthen the argument that one artist did the work. Many collectors consider these calls the best examples of vintage calls we have, and they are a crossover into folk art through their ornamentation.Collection
Danny Ellis CollectionCataloged By
Brent RogersCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodDate Examined
Feb 1, 2026Created By
Brent@awthf.orgCreate Date
February 1, 2026Updated By
Brent@awthf.orgUpdate Date
February 1, 2026
