German immigrant Wilhelm Schimmel—irascible, combative, homeless, and alcoholic—was also a talented artist whose gutsy, deeply gouged, and colorful animal carvings earned him shelter and food in many homes in the vicinity of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. According to oral tradition, eagles of impressive size with full wingspans were displayed on the tops of flagpoles as exterior architectural ornaments on the crests of gables, or in gardens. Schimmel used a common folding pocketknife to cut directly into wood that was salvaged from local businesses and residents. Eagles were constructed of a single piece from head to base, with separate wings mortised and glued in place. They were then coated with gesso-like plaster and colored with scavenged house paints.

Stacy C. Hollander, "Large Eagle," exhibition label for ALSO ON VIEW: Selections from the Collection. Stacy C. Hollander, curator. New York: American Folk Art Museum, 2014.