“Needless to say, the eagle has flown,” quipped Kaja Veilleux moments after he hammered down a rare Bellamy carved and painted eagle with banner at his Thomaston Place auction this past Saturday, November 12. The lot had been one of several consigned from a Christmas Cove home that initially yielded only a few lots, according to the auctioneer – that is until Veilleux got into the attic and garage to inspect the items that the heirs had passed on.

The rare eagle in original paint was discovered by Veilleux in an attic eave, in a box marked “old eagle” that was found inside a larger box marked “Lionel trains.” The lot exceeded expectations when it crossed the auction block with six phone bidders pushing it well beyond the $25/35,000 presale estimate to a final price of $101,750. Also among the top lots was a rare Thomas Gainsborough charcoal drawing that went to a London phone bidder for $92,800, and a rare Eighteenth Century man’s waistcoat that was the property of John Hancock selling at $33,000. -DSS