Classic Weathervanes
Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes
Brass, Copper
Antique 19th Century Folk Art Weathervanes
Wood
1950s Prints and Multiples
Lithograph
20th Century American Art Deco Figurative Sculptures
Copper
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary French Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Iron
2010s Italian Statues
Limestone
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Card Tables and Tea Tables
Lacquer
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Animal Sculptures
Marble, Metal
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy
Other
Antique 18th Century Swedish Baroque Cabinets
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century European Moorish Architectural Elements
Wrought Iron
Antique Early 19th Century French Charles X Architectural Elements
Stone, Copper
20th Century French Art Deco Animal Sculptures
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Architectural Elements
20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
Vintage 1970s French Space Age Architectural Elements
Metal, Aluminum
Antique 19th Century French Romantic Bird Cages
Metal, Tin
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Figurative Sculptures
Onyx, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary European Victorian Taxidermy
Animal Skin
Antique 19th Century French Weathervanes
Copper, Iron
Recent Sales
Antique 19th Century American Weathervanes
Zinc
Antique 19th Century American Weathervanes
Antique 1870s American Folk Art Weathervanes
Copper
Antique 19th Century Folk Art Weathervanes
Copper, Zinc
Early 20th Century American Weathervanes
Pine
Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes
Copper, Iron
Antique Early 1900s American Prairie School Weathervanes
Early 20th Century American Weathervanes
Copper, Brass
Antique 1880s American American Empire Weathervanes
Copper
Early 20th Century British Weathervanes
Copper
Antique 19th Century American Colonial Weathervanes
Copper
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes
Tin
20th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes
Glass
Early 20th Century American Weathervanes
Copper, Steel
Antique Late 19th Century Weathervanes
Copper
20th Century American Weathervanes
Antique 19th Century American Weathervanes
20th Century Folk Art Outsider and Self Taught Art
Finding the Right weathervanes for You
Whether it’s mounted on a mantel or hung flat against a wall in the living room or entryway, antique and vintage weathervanes can prove a striking decorative touch in your home.
Weathervanes are instruments that indicate wind direction. They are also referred to as wind vanes, wind gauges or weathercocks, but regardless of what we call them, most weathervanes will perform in the same way.
Weathervanes typically consist of a gravity-centered rotating horizontal arrow or other structure that is mounted on a stationary vertical axis. When the wind blows, the horizontal piece moves freely, rotating to indicate the wind’s direction as well as its speed. Andronicus, a Greek astronomer, crafted one of the earliest iterations of the weathervane in approximately 48 B.C. His bronze design featured the head and torso of a man but the tail of a fish. Later, weathervanes could be seen atop church steeples and towers throughout Europe. The oldest weathervane is Italian in origin and assumes the silhouette of a rooster. It is a copper weathervane, said to have originated between 820 and 830 A.D. and can be found in the Museo di Santa Giulia in Brescia, Italy.
Today, antique and vintage weathervanes are collectible sculptural works in any interior. They are celebrated for their place in the rich tradition of American folk art as well as their technological innovation.
Over the course of the 19th century, as the popularity of and demand for weathervanes broadened in the United States, blacksmiths, farmers and other tradesmen created weathervanes in the forms of cows, horses and other animals for barns in rural farmland. Commercial manufacturers in major cities took to producing all manner of weathervanes that were marketed in mail-order catalogs of the era.
When decorating with weathervanes, if you’ve decided against mounting your cast-iron painted horse weathervane on your mantel to complement your farmhouse-style decor, there are other options. You could repurpose your vintage weathervane as a provocative lighting fixture and hang it above your dining-room table, or dot the walls of your mudroom with weathervanes where they might double as racks for coats or other outerwear. Create a gallery-style hang as a focal point in your living room, grouping weathervanes that share a single theme or material. Because weathervanes have taken on many forms over the years, you’re likely to find a style that best fits your personality.
If positioned outdoors, a painted or varnished wood weathervane will resist harsh weather conditions, while copper weathervanes will resist erosion and usually come at an affordable price.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique and vintage weathervanes and other folk art today.
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