Imperial eagles

[Lucky R A]

      I have been working on a copy of the John Shuler rifle displayed at Ft. Ticonderoga.  I have some excellent photographs of the gun taken from all views.  The gun is markedly similar to several other pieces of John Shuler's work.  A silver inlay of a two headed "Imperial Eagle" is missing from the underside of the forearm.  The outline in the wood shows that the inlay was similar to the one used by Andrew Verner RCA # 62 (I believe)  As I was making the pattern for the inlay I got to thinking, why were Shuler and Verner putting a two headed "Imperial Eagle" on their guns around 1800?   Was this a political statement?  Shuler used a single headed eagle engraving on an inlay which has a shield on the breast, kind of an early Federal Eagle.   What with the two headed eagles?   Anyone with any ideas. 

[tallbear]

I know it's a symbol of Scottish Rite Masonry .Don't know if that's the reason but something to explore.

Mitch

[Lucky R A]

Mitch,   I suspect you are probably pretty close to the answer.  I have engraved the 33rd degree Imperial Eagle on items intended for Masonic fund raisers etc.  That symbol always had a crown between the two heads of the eagle and the eagle was perched on a staff.  I suppose the 33rd degree symbol has undergone changes since the time of the founding fathers.
     I was initially speculating that since Philadelphia had a large Tory element, perhaps the Imperial Eagle was a longing for a monarchy

Thanks Ron

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I've read somewhere, perhaps erroneously, that the double headed eagle is Prussian.  Verner and Schuler are German names...perhaps it simply reflects their ancestry.

[tallbear]

Ron
The 32 degree symbol appears often without the crown between the heads.
This is from the Philidelphia Area Scottish Rite web site.Again don't know anything just thinking out loud.

Mitch


Another early one

[Karl Kunkel]

I too had been taught that the two-headed eagle was pre-revolutionary germanic, while the single headed eagle was post revolutionary federal.

[woodsrunner]

A little background: The Ancient And Accepted Scotch Rite entered the Colonies at Charleston, SC in 1732, or very close to that date.(Could have been 1736, but I think I remember 1732 in my studies/work). Freemasonry was already in the Colonies, but was practically dormant until the F&I War. Virtually all of the British Regiments, I forget how many there were, but maybe around 20, had Regimental Lodges of Free And Accepted Masons, and this caught on very quickly with Colonial Militias. By the time of the RevWar Freemasonry was well entrenched in the Colonies. The relationships between British and American Freemasons during the RevWar is an area of history that has never been reported on to any degree. For example, King George's brother and several British admirals and generals, all Freemasons, pleaded with KG to work out a political solution and not a military one. Not many of us know that.

The Double Headed Eagle: This is the Ensign of the old Kingdom of Prussia, and Federick II, the King from 1740 'till his death in 1786, was a 33rd Degree Freemason. In fact, he was the Chief Architect in taking the finer points of the 32nd Degree and refining them into the 33rd Degree. For his role in this the Prussian Ensign was adopted as the symbol of what we now refer to as the Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry. The symbol of the 33Degree will have the Crown that Ron mentions atop the Double Eagle Heads, and atop the Crown will be a Triangle within a Triangle, and within these will be the number "33".  Without the Crown, the Symbol is referencing simply the Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite which is made up of the Masonic  Degrees four through thirty two. In both cases the talons of the Eagle will be clutching a sword with the point always to the right.

In looking at Dr. George’s RCA, #63 on page 264, the rifle made by Andrew Verner, take a close look at the Double Headed Eagle, underside just forward of the lock. IMO this is a Scottish Rite Eagle even though it doesn’t fit what we would consider as accurate at this time. Symbols will change slightly in some ways with  passing time and distances. That’s to be expected. Two things stand out on this Eagle: There are seven fearhers engraved on the left wing (wish I could see the right wing!) Seven is a sacred number in Masonry. Look at the legs of the Eagle: notice that the lower leg comes off the upper leg at a 90 degree angle. This, also, would be noticed by any Freemason. Now, question is…was Verner a Mason? Or did he include this Symbol at the request of whoever he happened to have made this rifle for?

The rifle attributed to John Shuler on page 275. IMO this is a Federal type eagle, and I see nothing Masonic about it. BUT….look on the next page at the rifle, #65, by an unknown maker. The Double Headed Eagle, wire inlay, almost jumps out as being a Scottish Rite Symble! I’d put my money on it being Masonic!

[mr. no gold]

There is a genre of artistic powderhorns presumably carved by the same maker over a span of perhaps 40 years that have a prominant double headed eagle emblazoned on the jacket. It is usually in tandem with one or more coats of arms (Spanish, Prussian etc.).
The earliest date is sometime in the late 1700s and the last is first quarter of the 1800s. Only rarely is there a name on a horn, but the symbols remain fairly constant. The carver, or his locality, is not known and the quality varies somewhat making one wonder if the same artist did indeed do all of the known horns.
So, it seems that the eagle in question enjoyed some popularity as an emblem with, or with- out meaning in the early days of our country.
Dick

[woodsrunner]

Are you referring to the collection that Mel Hankla put togather? Known as "The Folky Artist" horns?

[mr. no gold]

Woody, I am not familar with Mel's project; I  just happen to have one of the horns I spoke of and have seen a few others. One horn expert gave me the approximate range of dates, and he seems to have seen most of them. I trust his statement about the matter.
The one I have is dated 1801, has a 34 gun frigate, the name Robinson on it; a cotton plant, a paw paw tree, the Spanish and Prussian (or Saxon?) coat of arms, a mermaid and depictions of Adam and Eve. An aligator(?) crawls across the horn, to make things even more interesting. The double headed eagle motif is quite large and imposing.
I haven't looked at it in quite awhile, but can post some photos of it here soon. A New Year's Resolution is to have more photography done to share the information. Wish me luck!
Dick

[woodsrunner]

I would very much like to see photos of your horn! I think Mel has the "Folky Artist" horns on his website, but I think he sold the 13 or so horns of his collection a year or so ago. From your description it sounds like your horn could be one of this unknown Horner's work. IIRC there are over 30 in existance known to be from this same source.

[jwh1947]

For what it is worth, the double headed eagle is also a powerful symbol in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, especially the Greek church, and it has been explained to me by priests there that it symbolizes the religion facing both the of eastern and western cultures and the universal aspects of the faith. Used here and elsewhere in Europe long before there was a Scottish Rite. Czechs also have a legendary 2-headed bird, and areas like Moravia and Bohemia (good gun territory) are mostly in present day Czech Republic.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

What an amazing thread!  Thanks to all who have enlightened us.

[cal.43]

There is a Site about the double headed eagle http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppeladler but it´s in German.
As a German if hearing about a double headed eagle I´m allways think
K.u K. Monarchie (Austria-Hungary )

[Lucky R A]

       Thanks Eric for posting the photo.  Eric has done the research and the photography on this rifle, and he should receive credit for his efforts.    Trying to steer this thread back onto topic, let me say, I am very aware that double headed eagles have been used in many and varied forms in Europe and beyond.   As I originally asked, is there some reason that they popped up in Bucks Co. around 1800?   I certainly can see the possible Masonic connection.  However, if you closely examine Shuler's eagle you will note that the tail and legs differ from Andrew Verner's.  Shuler did not use the silver wire legs at the angle  that might suggest something Masonic.  Both Gunsmiths most likely were of Germanic extraction, and were most likely familiar with the design.  I suppose the answer may just be they thought it was a interesting inlay and did it "Chust for Nice!"   We will probably never know how Shuler decorated his Imperial Eagle, but Verner surely gave his a Dutchy Folk art engraving.  Masonic, Political or Art?   Interesting things to ponder on a cold winter day in the shop...  Ron

[jwh1947]

Dan and Cal. .43.  I like your thinking.  Upon examining the actual photo of that distinct double headed bird, which is very interesting, the legendary birds of the European continent immediately come to mind.  Actually, the image reminds me more of a 2-headed chicken than an eagle, and I would guess it is a likeness of a somewhat generic image familiar to the wider Germanic and/or eastern language groups. 

The decoration on the rifle looks good to me, and I have not seen another double-headed bird carved on a Kentucky.  Any others out there?

[jwh1947]

What I learned this morning about two headed birds.  They were used by the Byzantine Empire and The Holy Roman Empire.  Known to the Greek Orthodox and the Armenian Christian Churches and common in Austria-Hungary and the Germanic confederation.  Used as state emblem of Russia, Albania, Montenegro and Serbia, as well as by at least 14 cities, regions and guilds in  Germany.  Now on to Unicorns.