Spirt of Ecstasy Bronze Sculpture After Charles Sykes Original for Rolls Royce

Our client's large patinated bronze sculpture of Spirit of Ecstasy after the original model by Charles Sykes (1875-1950) measures 26 1/2 by 15 by 13 inches and weighs 51 lbs.  Cast by Eagle Art Works of St. Louis, apparently in the 1970s. Signed in the cast and stamped A 13 and underside of the base stamped EAGLE ART WORKS. 

Sykes designed Spirit of Ecstacy for Rolls Royce in 1911 and shortly thereafter the model become known as the "Flying Lady".  He is known to have cast the design in bronzes in multiple sizes for Roll Royce, including their offices and dealerships, and completed the work with his daughter's assistance into the 1930s.  But curiously, we're not aware of any open or limited editions cast for sale to the public.  While we've seen other bronzes  in various sizes appear for sale in recent decades, the castings by Eagle remain the finest and largest we have seen.  Only a few others from Eagle have appeared for sale online in the past decade, and sellers mistakenly attributed the castings to the Art Deco period, as they apparently didn't find the foundry's stamped marking which can be difficult to see on the underside.

Eagle Art Works was founded by Victor Del Zornada (1933-2003).  In business for a relatively short time from the 1970s through the mid 1990s, Eagle cast fine reproductions of figurative sculpture of both American and continental origin and subjects.  

The work is in good condition with rubbing wear, scuffs, light scratches and surface dirt in crevices. One hairline to the marble and another crack to the marble that appears to have been restored.