Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Gray Wolf" Signed lower left. Original Watercolor on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. Wildlife of the 50 States 22c Gray Wolf/Minnesota stamp issued June 13, 1987.

The Gray Wolf -- or Timber Wolf -- is, perhaps, one of the least understood and most controversial canines. The largest member of the dog family, fictional accounts of their viciousness and ruthlessness have caused them to be feared and hunted by man. Contrary to its name, the Gray Wolf's shaggy fur is a mixture of colors including white, black and red. Gray Wolves are primarily pack animals with eight individuals from a single family making up the pack. During winter when food is scarce, several packs may band together under the leadership of the strongest male. Gray Wolves prey primarily upon the larger mammals in their territory -- including moose, deer and caribou. They will also stalk smaller animals including rabbits, mice and ground squirrels as the opportunity presents itself. Studies indicate that Gray Wolves tend to take very old, weak or injured prey. Thus, their predatory behavior may result in healthier herds, particularly in places where a good natural balance exists between the number of Wolves and the number of prey animals. Once, the Gray Wolf roamed throughout the forests and woodlands of much of North America. Today however a dwindling number survive in the wild.

Image Size: 11 x 10.5 in.
Overall Size: 19.5 x 20 in.
Unframed.
(B10708)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.

- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.