Possibly hand made by Royal Newton Riblet, builder of the estate, this looks more like a falcon than an eagle, so that's what we'll name it. The falcon appears to be cast, possibly bronze, and is mounted above three balls and the points of the compass. There is a separate vane, but the falcon likely acts as a vane as well. The whole is mounted on a length of 1 or 1½ inch steel pipe.
Arbor Crest Estate Winery is a
National Historic Site, situated high atop a hill on the northern outskirts of Spokane Valley, on North Fruit Hill Road. The estate was built in 1924 by
Royal Newton Riblet Riblet was an eccentric inventor(with more than 90 registered patents to his name) whose eccentricity can be seen throughout the grounds in the manner and style of the buildings and fixtures. It was purchased in 1984 by
Arbor Crest to serve as their headquarters.
The winery is open for touring and wine tasting from noon to 5:00 PM daily. Situated as it is atop a basalt bluff, it has an excellent view of the valley below.