Category Archives: Paintings

In an online article entitled, “L.L.Bean Combines Heritage and Innovation with 100th Anniversary Catalog Covers,” a vintage L.L. Bean catalog image from 1933 is shown and at the bottom of the cover are the words “The Silver Hook.”

Readers may remember the my-mu.com blog posting entitled, “James Churchward Painting Surfaces… The Silver Hook,” which has all the same elements as the 1933 catalog cover, except that James’ painting is dated in 1904, twenty-nine years before the cover on the L.L. Bean catalog.

Have a great day!

James was a fisherman.
In a future blog entry I will produce examples of his articles in ‘Forest and Stream’ as well as ‘American Angler,’ but his interest in the outdoor sports has been mentioned here before.

To cut to the point, I received a package in the mail recently that held, among other things, an original painting by James Churchward from 1904. I am indebted to my not-to-be-named benefactor for the contents.

The painting is reproduced below, with the story printed on the back as well.

The story reads:

Sometimes ye city gentleman, he’s away to the country brook to circumvent the pesky little trout – Sometimes this said pesky little trout refuses to be snared by this city gentleman but there is always the proverbial small boy who does entice this pesky little trout to be attracted to a little willow which he carrys in his hand for that purpose – this little sketch shows the two characters – also the Silver Hook which transfers the string of trout from the boys willow to the city man’s creel no one but the boy and himself knows of the transaction hence he goes home and so looked upon by his wifey and chums as a great fisherman “where ignorance is bliss ’tis folly to be wise”
JChurchward Dec. 1904