3rd century AD. An outstanding silver finial of a standing eagle with erect head, folded wings and long tail, superb rendering of the beak and eyes, incised feather detailing; standing on a rectangular base over a circular socket, allowing the insertion of a staff; mounted on a custom-made display stand. See Kirk, J.R., ‘Bronzes from Woodeaton, Oxon’ in Oxoniensia, 1949, pp.1-45; Henig, M. & Munby, J., ‘Three Bronze Figurines’ in Oxoniensia 38, 1973, pp.386-387; Bird, J., ‘Catalogue of Iron Age and Roman artefacts discovered before 1995,’ in Poulton, R., Farley Heath Roman temple, Surrey Archaeological Collection, 93, 2007, pp.34–69; Toepfer, K.M., Signa Militaria. Die römischen Feldzeichen in der Republik und im Prinzipat, Mainz, 2011; Durham, E., ‘The Silchester Bronze Eagle and Eagles in Roman Britain’ in Archaeological Journal 170, 2013, pp.78-105; see very similar eagle in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, accession number 50.91, from Egypt.338 grams total, 16.5cm including stand (6 1/2"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired on the London art market before 2000; previously in a UK collection; accompanied by an archaeological report by Dr. Raffaele D’Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10414-171560. In the Roman world the eagle, a bird associated with the god Jupiter or Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, and one of his most common attributes together with thunderbolt and the long scepter, was seen as ‘the symbol and agent of apotheosis after death’ and an eagle was released from the top of an emperor’s funeral pyre to signal the journey of the soul heavenwards. Eagles were also the main and principal standard of the Legions, in gold or silver, and became the military symbol for excellence. Eagles were also depicted in this role on monumental art, however, the eagle was not reserved only for the ruling class or for military people but was also found on funerary altars of private citizens. [A video of this lot is available to view on TimeLine Auctions website.]