Eagle

DatePossibly 1875

Attributed to John Bellamy (1836 - 1914)

OriginAmerica, Maine or New Hampshire (probably)

MediumPaint over gilded pine

DimensionsOverall: 26 x 60 x 30 1/2in. (66 x 152.4 x 77.5cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1957.701.5

DescriptionA painted woodcarving of a spread eagle perched on a blue-painted rounded form on a pedestal, his neck extended forward lower than his feet as though preparing to dive or attack.
Label TextA former owner stated that this piece was carved to fit into a recessed niche above a door in the billiard room of the Rockingham Hotel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1875. The eagle remained in place there until 1920. Although this history is unverified, the carving bears several features associated with John Bellamy's style.
ProvenanceNotes made by Halpert (see "Vendor") state that, per an unidentified former owner (possibly her source, but this is not clear), the eagle was made for the Rockingham Hotel in Portsmouth, NH, in 1875. This history has not been verified. Halpert acquired the piece from an unidentified source in Newburyport, Mass., in August 1957.