Page 37 - joa 2-2020

by Kary Pardy

No Matter Which Direction the Wind Blows,

We Still Love American Weathervanes

f you are an Americana collector, you are likely familiar with the The Makings of the Weathervane
gold (or copper) standard for American folk art. Handmade If you lived beyond the scope of urban weathervanes, you might have
IAmerican weathervanes are the celebrities of Americana auctions, one forecasting from the top of your barn. These might be improvised
racking in significantly higher amounts than their wooden and iron out of wood, tin or iron, or they could have been commissioned from
contemporaries. This popularity is bestowed upon a collectible that is the local blacksmith, who might have personalized it for the farmer, or
quite tricky to pin down. Few weathervanes were signed and though created something simple and functional.
connoisseurs can identify top makers, the most desirable were not In the early and mid-19th century, horses, in particular, captured the
mass-produced, adding in an element of surprise because beautiful and American imagination. Similar to supporting modern professional
unique pieces might still be out there, uncataloged. athletes, early Americans promoted racehorses as their sports heroes and
modeled vanes after winning
The American Direction horses or horses from popular art,
Weathervanes had been used like prints from Currier and Ives.
in Europe for centuries, but they By the mid-19th century,
came into their own in America. American weathervanes had
Europeans kept to relatively branched out, with makers in
standard shapes (roosters, crosses, every city producing a wide array
banners, and others), but of designs, largely in copper and
Americans branched out over often covered with thin gold leaf.
the years and personalized them. Just as we would see a rusty car
In many cases, weathervanes were as lacking, weathervane buyers
necessary – they alerted owners preferred to see the warmth and
of shifts in wind direction and fresh gilded shine glittering from
the associated shifts in weather. the top of their building or barn.
Thus, they adorned the tops Famous names include J. W.
of most barns and featured Fiske, L. W. Cushing, A. L.
prominently with fishermen and Jewell & Co., and E. G.
seafarers. With such popularity, This ca. 1890-1899 wood fish weathervane sold on 1stdibs.com and was listed Washburne & Co.; and despite
it wasn’t long before weather- in good condition. The description read, “One of a kind carved wood fish weathervane being “factory” produced, there
vanes became status symbols, from Maine. The fish has an open mouth with metal screw teeth and remains of was still a lot of handmade heart
advertising tools, or reflections of old paint on the worn surface. Most wooden weathervanes did not survive the that went into the pieces. Shops
their owner’s personalities and elements and this one was probably taken down at some time. This survivor comes employed multiple craftsmen
social climates. The weathervane with a metal table stand as well as a bracket to float out from a wall.” who continued to work on vanes
craze has allowed scholars to view by hand; despite generating more
them over the span of several regions and through time, helping to weathervanes than before, it was still a one-at-a-time operation for each
illustrate some interesting trends. skilled craftsman, who would hammer sheets of copper over wooden
The popular themes of early 18th century weathervanes were or cast-iron molds. From there, two sides would be matched
understandable – fish in coastal areas, Native Americans, arrows, together and soldered at the seams, creating a “swell-bodied”
and roosters. American makers were just starting out, so the best weathervane. Early vanes were more likely sheet metal
examples came from Europe. The earliest documented American and two-dimensional silhouettes as opposed to three-
weathervane maker is Shem Drowne, whose creations grace some of dimensional models.
Boston’s most famous historical landmarks, such as his grasshopper Real factory production began in the Victorian era,
atop Boston’s Faneuil Hall (ca. 1742), a swallowtail banner above along with ornate metalwork that swirled over every piece
the Old North Church (ca. 1740), and a rooster now on the First of available trim. Weathervanes took on scroll details
Church of Cambridge (ca. 1721). The latter half of the and swirling pendants, which are popular today with those
century brought more varieties of forms, such as wood- looking to refurbish their period homes.
land animals, horses, and angels. Coastal communities expanded their The real desirable pieces, however, are examples from the
repertoire with sailing ships, whales and seagulls. Paul Revere’s shop in 18th and 19th centuries that have survived the elements and hap-
Boston was on trend with its wooden codfish studded with copper nails. pen to have quality craftsmanship and pleasing verdigris. If they
The American Revolution also showed up on the skyline. Patriotic have these things and the period is right, “manufactured” isn’t
figures like the Goddess of Liberty swayed in the wind following the war, Victorian Weathervane: Victorian weathervanes sometimes featured
and George Washington famously commissioned a Dove of Peace vane surprises hidden inside the designs. Makers hid copper pennies from the year
for Mount Vernon in 1787. Though similarly patriotic, the Federal the vane was crafted in the design as a good luck token. Another option was
eagle form did not gain traction until the 19th century. to put a brass plaque or memento inside the sculpture for extra whimsy.
photo: Eron Johnson Antiques.

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