A.C. Rehberger Eagle Bookends

Weighty and assured, this pair of eagles stands as if guarding a private library—wings lifted, feathers deeply carved, their bronze-toned surfaces mellowed by time. Hand-cast and hand-finished in Chicago in the 1970s by the A.C. Rehberger Company (often marked ACR Ltd), they belong to an American tradition in which studio foundries translated sculptural motifs into objects for daily life. The eagle—emblem of endurance and civic pride—was a Rehberger favorite, and here the motif reads with quiet authority rather than bravado.

Each bookend is cast metal with the original green felt underfoot, substantial in the hand and beautifully balanced on a shelf. They measure roughly 6.1 inches high, 5 inches wide, and 3 inches deep—compact enough for a single stack of books, substantial enough to anchor a row. The surfaces show a rich, even patina and gentle wear consistent with age, the kind of soft glow that comes only from decades of handling.

A handsome relic of mid-century American craft, made to work hard and look dignified while doing so.