Rams Head Antiques

Description

This is a fine pair of reconstituted stone eagles by the renowned duo Austin and Seeley who’s company manufactured good quality garden statuary for country houses from 1840 onwards. The substantial eagles are beautifully modelled with great character, looking at one another with open beaks and wings. The pair stand on a rocky base upon separate square plinth capping stones. The eagles have aged nicely with a good colour and lichen covering. They are substantial in size being 95 cms high by 66 cms wide with the base cappings being 62 cms square.
There are an identical pair of these fine eagles on the entrance garden wall in Washington Old Hall, birthplace of George Washington in Washington village in the North East of England, (see last photo).
Provenance of this pair originates from the private country residence of a Gentleman in Wisborough, West Sussex.

Felix Austin originally went into business in 1828 having bought moulds from a company that had gone out of business. His factory was established in New Road London where he was trading as an Architect, Statuary Mason, Sculptor and artificial stone maker. Not unlike his competitor Mrs Coade from Coade Stone products he encouraged leading architects and designers to work for him. Around 1840 he went into partnership with John Seeley to make beautiful garden statuary.
Seeley had trained at the Royal Academy Schools and also made an artificial stone which he called artificial limestone, before entering into partnership with Austin. In 1841 they published their first catalogue, Pleasure Grounds etc. from their address in New Road. The preface reads “Austin’s Artificial Stone is of a light tint, requiring no painting or colouring, will not sustain injury from the severest winter and being impervious to wet, is particularly applicable to all kinds of water works. It’s superiority is now so thoroughly established that the most eminent architects and scientific gentlemen have expressed in their highest terms, their approbation of its durability and close resemblance to the real stone.”

UK delivery can be arranged to most destinations for £160 plus vat.