Federal-Style Gilt Mirror with Eagle Finial, Early 20th Century

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...

This is an appealing set of vintage brass bookends. The bookends each depict a spread-wing bald eagle perched on a branch. The branch is wrapped in decorative vines. In 1782, Congre...

19th century federal style mirror, hand carved and intact, two cornucopias filled flanking either side of the eagle. Classic design element of the federal period (much like the convex mirror but without the distorted mirror)

Substantial Federal-Style mirror featuring inset glass (not convex) within a deep, gilt resin frame adorned by an eagle perched on laurel at the top and acanthus detail below (ca. Mi...