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Just read somewhere that the first birds where of silver but that they later (ad) where made of gold.
And yes this one is really nice! I also had the privilege of seeing it in real, but didn't knew it is sort of home made. Very impressive!!
Because I am in the process of making a Celtic boar standard I
(Look here: www.kelticos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=632)
I would love to know more about the production of this bird...
Folkert van Wijk
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The Eagle was sculpted by hand and then cast in bronze using the lost wax method, after which there was a long polishing and then it was guilded, so yes there is gold on it and the base was silvered. The thing is is not too heavy but no walking for hours and hours with it, well at least not by anyone untrained that is..
Also, the real Lion's skin is very warm and restricts the ventilation inside the helmet, so you will get tired more quickly..
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I saw it at Marle and it looks very good indeed. I once held Peter Goedemee's aquila and the weight was extreme... This one looks a lot lighter.
Vale,
Jef Pinceel
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I saw a video that details how to cast a hollow bronze statue. It's pretty involved, but you end up with a shell instead of a massive chunk of metal. A solid bronze eagle that size could easily weigh in at two or three kilos. Put that on a stick a meter or so above your hand, and that's considerable leverage against you. Holding it out at an angle while walking would be extremely tiring.
A hollow bronze would weigh a tenth that much, perhaps. Much better use of material and manpower, I'd say.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
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For publication on behalf of the maker of the Aquila;
Plans for this elaborate set of equipment were made as early as 1996 but it took a tremendous amount of energy and concentration to built the separate items. The two main components being the lion’s pelt and of course the Aquila itself. The pelt had to be cut halfway down the back, just beyond the manes, because of the sheer size of the beast. It measures some 7 ft from head to butt excluding rear paws and tail.
Sculpting the head was done by matching a base plate to the Imp. Gallic D, built by Nigel Clough. The helmet was made to measure and is a perfect fit. This base plate consists of the palate and upper teeth, constructed from bits of a broom handle. Nailing the well soaked pelt, particularly the lip section to the front portion of the base plate then made it relatively easy to stuff and stretch the head back into its former shape. After drying the painted wooden eyes were carefully put into position, making sure to avoid the Clarence effect.
The Aquila provided the main challenge as it deserved in my view to be meticulously and delicately sculpted. A friend’s earlier attempt with the help of a professional artist failed in this respect and although this piece certainly displays a dynamic build it proved to heavy and clumsy to handle.
The bird itself proved a beautiful sculpt indeed and the symbolical base parts needed to match perfectly. This took quite a while to do to my liking and finally a good balance was achieved. The material I used by the way was Darwi modelling clay as my hands are unfit to model wax directly. Hence the extra step of a silicon mould had to be made and from that it was a small step to traditional lost wax casting the entire sculpted bird and base.
Corrections of the cast and final sanding and polishing took well over a month before it was ready to be guilt and silvered. This according to written sources is a later feature on such standards and does credit to my late 1st AD representation.
The guilder unfortunately found himself unable to distinguish the eagle from its base ( my idea was to have the eagle done in gold and its base in silver) so it ended up being guilt in its entirety with the separate pieces of the pole ( trump and butt spike) in silver. The process was done by means of electro galvanisation.
The Aquila was first displayed at the Marle festival this year and most fortunately the gods saw it fit to make the sun shine as brightly as I could have wished. The sun splattered off the wings when it was paraded at the front of the 140 strong column and I noticed the impact it had on the men. They clearly recognised the ‘divine’ aura of the Aquila standard and let’s face it; that is exactly the purpose of the standard.
Although both the use of a lion’s pelt by Signiferii and the appearance of my Aquila are debatable one thing can be concluded beyond any doubt; it is a magnificent sight!
P. Sertorius Scaevola
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Great work -- really very impressive.
Narukami
David Reinke
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WOW! Great job, looks gorgeous! That is something to be proud of!
Andy Volpe
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Very interresting and impressif...
Folkert van Wijk
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Quote:Really? I have the impression I read somewhere that AQVILAE were silver...
Indeed! I was pointed to the reference that the eagle of Marius was silver (Cic. In Catilinam 1. 24. 4; 2. 13. 10; cf. Sallust. Cat. 59. 3).
Anyone has the evidence that aquilae were golden?
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Bushido wa watashi no shuukyou de gozaru.
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It is in the republican times that the eagle was in silver, at some point in the early empire or perhaps even beginning towards the last years of the republic the eagles were gold. I am trying to remember where it was that I saw a refererance to gold eagle not sure if it was tacitus or livy but i am thinking it had something to do with finding one of the lost varus eagles. If i can find some good information I will post it.
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Definitly worth a laudes for this effort to Scaevola. a magnific piece of work. This also brings to mind a question would the method of construction be similar to that used by the romans to create thier eaglers? unfortunately no original eagle is knowing to exist. 
A pure gold eagle in my opinion would be very soft and perhaps not a good idea for something that is going to be out in use by a military force. I would think that a bronze statue would give the object the strenth needed to be useful by a military in the field.
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well there are a lot of ideas about that, either wood covered in gold leaf, or plate, or guilded metal, or bronze which is guilded like the one the X GEM has now, but without specific archaological finds it remains in the dark..
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Again very well done something to be proud of ! 
Animals die, friends die, and I shall die, but one thing never dies, and that is the reputation we leave behind after our death.
No man loses Honour who had any in the first place. - Syrus
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