Carved Eagle on Circular Plaque, ca 1860-1876

This cast iron eagle is one of the earliest sculptural forms that one will encounter in the marketplace. It is also one of the most attractive and ico...

42 STARS IN A WHIMSICAL MEDALLION CONFIGURATION THAT FEATURES A LARGE, HALOED CENTER STAR AND INCORPORATES 7 TINY STARS; NEVER AN OFFICIAL STAR COUNT, EXCEPTIONALLY RARE, REFLECTS TH...

This is an original American eagle, hand-carved from pine during the early to mid 20th century. The eagle features a touch of original gilt over yellow sizing with hand-painted highlights, emphasizing the eyes and beak. The eagle is displayed with both wings fully outstretched. The feathers are expertly detailed, especially considering that this eagle is a single-piece carving. The eagle is both the national bird and the national animal of the United States. The founders of the United States were fond of comparing their new republic with the Roman Republic, in which eagle imagery, usually the golden eagle, was prominent. On June 20, 1782, the Continental Congress adopted the design for the Great Seal of the United States depicting a bald eagle grasping 13 arrows in its sinister (left) talon and an olive branch with its dexter (right) talons. Those arrows are tightly aligned, a symbol of "strength in unity" that's found in the traditional cultures everywhere, from the Romans to the Iroquois. In this case, the bundle of arrows were a nod to the unity of the original 13 colonies. The olive branches emphasize the power of peace. The eagle motif has since appeared in allegorical engravings...

19th century American hand carved gilded pediment eagle. Antique decorative hand carved and gilded wooden pediment eagle. The expressive sculpture w...