Carved Eagle Plaque

SOLD

Attributed to The Father of John Haley Bellamy, Charles Sr.
Kittery, Maine, ca. 1865-1870
Carved hard wood, gilt and painted surface
Condition: Great condition. Retains original gilt surface
The eagle with swept-back wings perched on top of a rocky plinth is executed with fine detailed carving much like the documented example Sparhawk Hall, “Hawk-on-a Spar” carved in 1868, (illustrated: James A. Craig, author of American Eagle: The Bold Art and Brash Life of John Haley Bellamy, Portsmouth Marine Society, 2014.) Craig further comments, “Your eagle holds solid symmetry, proportionality, and a smooth profile, the obvious marks of someone who has received formal training in woodcarving and knows how to execute a complex form in the round. It may well have been crafted by Bellamy’s father (Charles Sr.), or his two younger brothers (Charles Jr. and Elisha) all of who, were master woodcarvers themselves and who worked beside Bellamy in his workshop.”