Spread Wing Eagle, Columbian Press Counterweight, Philadelphia

Swell-bodied, each side molded

Spread-wing, full relief figure of eagle in cast-iron with traces of later paint, its talons grasping the olive branch of peace and the cornucopia of plenty, with original forged steel mounting post, The Columbian iron hand press was invented in 1813 by Philadelphia mechanic George Clymer (1754-1834). Clymer made several dozen presses before leaving Philadelphia in 1818 to manufacture presses in England by Ritchie & Co. The eagle counterweight balanced on the counterpoise lever on the top of the press. The eagle counterweight design appears to be directly copied from the eagle device found in various insignia of the War of 1812 era, including cockade eagles and cap plates, the dies of which were sculpted by Moritz Furst of the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia.

Date: 1813

Measurement: 16.5" x 20"; height on stand: 36.75"

Material: Cast iron; with a separate, later concrete block base or we can have a steel base fabricated.

Condition: Fine

Reference: An engraving of the press is pictured in The American Eagle by Phillip M. Isaacson, (Little Brown & Co., 1977), p. 50, taken from the Cyclopaedia (Philadelphia, 1813). Also see, Wendy A. Cooper, Classical Taste in America 1800-1840, (Abbeville Press, 1993), pp. 23, 192-3.

$3,950

SKU: 233-41

For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.

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