The giltwood and gesso hand carved fragment, still of good imposing size, having been part of a larger composition, showing a heraldic eagle amongst foliage and a large flower head to a scaled sea serpent all above a helix twist frieze, having remnants of a pully or wench system to the reverse, possibly surviving from a barge or ship, the whole a beautiful patination to the original gilding, surviving from George II period England.
Unknown.
There are similar designs to this piece to The Royal Barge produced by shipwright John hall to a William Kent design in 1732. The prow, stern and rail were carved and gilded with the royal coat of arms and Prince of Wales feathers among riotous sea-creatures, swags and Vitruvian scrolls.
Well worth further research, this is a wonderfully decorative and rare piece of early Georgian splendour.
The fragment is sturdy and stable and the original gilding is naturally distressed all over. It would have been part of a much larger composition, and there is a stabilising block to the reverse so it can be wall hung. The integral pully integral to the eagle is interesting and would suggest it was used as part of a system for a ship or otherwise as part of a canopy of some sort. Please refer to the photographs for a full visual reference.
By appointment only.
