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Copper Ship Weathervanes

Vintage Folk Art Copper Sailboat Ship 38" Weathervane Hand Crafted
Vintage Folk Art Copper Sailboat Ship 38" Weathervane Hand Crafted

Vintage Folk Art Copper Sailboat Ship 38" Weathervane Hand Crafted

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage Folk Art Copper Sailboat Ship 38" Weathervane Hand Crafted. Circa Mid 20th Century

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Other Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

American Gilt Copper Three Masted Ship Weathervane Mounted on Stand, circa 1890
American Gilt Copper Three Masted Ship Weathervane Mounted on Stand, circa 1890

American Gilt Copper Three Masted Ship Weathervane Mounted on Stand, circa 1890

Located in Charleston, SC

American gilt copper three masted ship weathervane with flags mounted on stand, late 19th century

Category

Antique 1890s American Folk Art Weathervanes

Materials

Copper, Iron

Recent Sales

New England Ship Weathervane in Copper and Cast Iron Sails, circa 1880
New England Ship Weathervane in Copper and Cast Iron Sails, circa 1880

New England Ship Weathervane in Copper and Cast Iron Sails, circa 1880

Located in Litchfield, CT

This American ship weathervane is made in copper with cast iron sails and upper portion. The piece

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American American Empire Weathervanes

Materials

Copper, Iron

Early 20th Century Full Bodied Copper Ship Weathervane
Early 20th Century Full Bodied Copper Ship Weathervane

Early 20th Century Full Bodied Copper Ship Weathervane

Located in Pease pottage, West Sussex

A fine example of an early 20th century full bodied galleon weathervane in full sail. highly

Category

Early 20th Century English Weathervanes

Ship Weathervane
Ship Weathervane

Ship Weathervane

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H 32 in W 30 in

Ship Weathervane

Located in Greenwich, CT

Hammered copper galleon weathervane with a dark vertigris surface.

Category

Antique 19th Century Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

Full Bodied Three Masted Ship Copper Weathervane
Full Bodied Three Masted Ship Copper Weathervane

Full Bodied Three Masted Ship Copper Weathervane

Located in Pound Ridge, NY

Impressive large and detailed copper ship with three masts, crow's nest; most likely a weathervane

Category

20th Century American Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

Sailing Ship Weathervane
Sailing Ship Weathervane

Sailing Ship Weathervane

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H 31 in W 30 in D 6 in

Sailing Ship Weathervane

Located in Greenwich, CT

1920s full bodied copper weathervane in the form of a gaff-rigged sailing vessel.

Category

Antique 19th Century American Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

Sailing Ship Weathervane
Sailing Ship Weathervane

Sailing Ship Weathervane

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H 45 in W 39 in D 5 in

Sailing Ship Weathervane

Located in Greenwich, CT

A copper weathervane in the form of a full bodied gaff-rigged sailing boat. Its wooden museum

Category

Early 20th Century English Weathervanes

Materials

Copper, Iron

19th Century Painted Ship Weather Vane on Iron Stand
19th Century Painted Ship Weather Vane on Iron Stand

19th Century Painted Ship Weather Vane on Iron Stand

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This wonderful painted sailing ship weathervane has a great worn patina on the painted cream

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Adirondack Weathervanes

Materials

Metal, Copper, Iron

Vintage Copper Ship Weather Vane
Vintage Copper Ship Weather Vane

Vintage Copper Ship Weather Vane

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H 21 in W 20 in D 4 in

Vintage Copper Ship Weather Vane

Located in Bridport, CT

Lovely aged filigree copper sailboat weathervane boat sculpture. Patina is great.   

Category

20th Century Weathervanes

Materials

Brass

Copper Schooner Weathervane
Copper Schooner Weathervane

Copper Schooner Weathervane

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H 23 in W 24.75 in D 7 in

Copper Schooner Weathervane

Located in New York City, NY

Vintage copper sailing ship weathervane with good verdigris surface in original condition. Includes

Category

Vintage 1950s American Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

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Mid-Late 20th Century American Copper Pig Weathervane
Mid-Late 20th Century American Copper Pig Weathervane

Mid-Late 20th Century American Copper Pig Weathervane

Located in Chicago, IL

This mid-to-late 20th-century American copper pig weathervane is full of charm and character, with a strong, graphic silhouette that captures the essence of this beloved barnyard ico...

Category

Late 20th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

3 Dimensional Cow Form Weather Vane
3 Dimensional Cow Form Weather Vane

3 Dimensional Cow Form Weather Vane

$4,025

H 21 in W 27 in D 4 in

3 Dimensional Cow Form Weather Vane

Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID

20th Century three dimensional copper cow form weather vane with excellent patina. 27" x21" Period: 20th Century Origin: US Size: 27" x 21" Family Owned & Operated Cisco’s Gal...

Category

20th Century American Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

19th C Hollow Body Eagle Weather Vane
19th C Hollow Body Eagle Weather Vane

19th C Hollow Body Eagle Weather Vane

$2,636Sale Price|20% Off

H 18 in W 22 in D 16 in

19th C Hollow Body Eagle Weather Vane

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This fine 19th c patinaed eagle weather vane was found in New England. The iron base is a custom made stand. The condition is very good on this early fine with no dents or holes. Won...

Category

Antique 19th Century American American Classical Weathervanes

Materials

Copper, Iron

19th Century, Rooster Weathervane, American
19th Century, Rooster Weathervane, American

19th Century, Rooster Weathervane, American

$13,800

H 33.5 in W 28 in D 2.5 in

19th Century, Rooster Weathervane, American

By J.W. Fiske & Company

Located in Incline Village, NV

Late 19th century, classic form molded rooster copper weathervane with sheet brass tail and zinc legs, which are supported by the original 13 1/2" copper bar. Weatherane is similar i...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes

Materials

Brass, Copper

Antique Fish Weathervane
Antique Fish Weathervane

Antique Fish Weathervane

$8,500

H 16 in W 36 in D 5 in

Antique Fish Weathervane

Located in Sandwich, MA

Antique American copper fish weathervane circa 1875. Purchased from a private Nantucket collection in the 1980s. Original surface with remnants of gold leaf. Great condition, measure...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Weathervanes

Materials

Copper, Gold Leaf

19th Century Mini Eagle Weather Vane on Stand
19th Century Mini Eagle Weather Vane on Stand

19th Century Mini Eagle Weather Vane on Stand

$1,996Sale Price|20% Off

H 10.5 in W 14.5 in D 15.5 in

19th Century Mini Eagle Weather Vane on Stand

Located in Los Angeles, CA

19th century Mini eagle weather vane on stand with a great patina. This fine eaglet is in very good condition. The bottom feathers of the arrow are missing. The arrow tip is in iron....

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century American Adirondack Weathervanes

Materials

Copper, Metal

19th Century 3 Dimensional Copper Rooster Weather Vane
19th Century 3 Dimensional Copper Rooster Weather Vane

19th Century 3 Dimensional Copper Rooster Weather Vane

Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID

19th Century American cast copper full bodied rooster weather vane attributed to Vermont. Green verdigris, patination, traces of old paint and some gilt. This weather vane originally...

Category

Antique 1890s American Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane
19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane

19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane

$2,585

H 39.75 in W 36.25 in D 10.13 in

19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane

Located in Nantucket, MA

19th Century New England Folk Art Schooner Weathervane, circa 1890, having a carved and painted wooden hull with bowsprit, spars and deck house; wooden masts with wire standing riggi...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes

Materials

Metal

American Painted Copper Cow Weathervane by Cushing & White
American Painted Copper Cow Weathervane by Cushing & White

American Painted Copper Cow Weathervane by Cushing & White

By Cushing and White

Located in Southampton, NY

American Painted Copper Cow Weathervane by Cushing & White. A off-white painted, full bodied, copper dairy cow on a wood stand. A wonderful unusual weathervane and a great scale. Som...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Weathervanes

Materials

Metal

19th Century 3 Dimensional Bass Weather Vane
19th Century 3 Dimensional Bass Weather Vane

19th Century 3 Dimensional Bass Weather Vane

Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID

19th Century Bass form copper three dimensional weather vane with later wood base. Has a bullet hole as might be expected as most early weather vanes have. Bass 15"H x 26"L; 26" x 7"...

Category

Antique 19th Century American Weathervanes

Materials

Copper

Large Antique Steer Weathervane c. 1880
Large Antique Steer Weathervane c. 1880

Large Antique Steer Weathervane c. 1880

$17,000

H 21.5 in W 33 in D 3 in

Large Antique Steer Weathervane c. 1880

Located in Lancaster, PA

Beautiful antique weathervane most likely by Cushing and White. Origin is New England c. 1880. This weathervane was purchased from Allan Katz Americana, Woodbridge, CT.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antiquities

Materials

Copper

19th Century Eagle Weathervane, Attributed to Cushing & White
19th Century Eagle Weathervane, Attributed to Cushing & White

19th Century Eagle Weathervane, Attributed to Cushing & White

By Cushing and White

Located in Nantucket, MA

Full body molded copper spread wing eagle with cast zinc talons perched on a copper sphere. Great proportions with outstretched wings, showing wonderful detailing to the body and win...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Weathervanes

Materials

Copper, Zinc

French Late 19th Century Weathervane
French Late 19th Century Weathervane

French Late 19th Century Weathervane

$15,625

H 87 in W 33.5 in D 22.5 in

French Late 19th Century Weathervane

Located in Round Top, TX

A sensational later 19th century girouette - weathervane of a Galleon found in the South of France. The galleon is expertly crafted from beautifully patina'd copper and rests in its ...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Weathervanes

Materials

Stone, Copper

Eagle Weathervane, ca 1852-1870, Waltham Massachusetts
Eagle Weathervane, ca 1852-1870, Waltham Massachusetts

Eagle Weathervane, ca 1852-1870, Waltham Massachusetts

Located in York County, PA

Eagle weathervane in a beautiful form with great folk presence, possibly made by A.L. JEWELL & CO. (1852-1867) or its predecessor, Cushing & White / L.W. Cushing (1867-1870’s), Walth...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Weathervanes

Materials

Metal

Vintage Whale Weathervane
Vintage Whale Weathervane

Vintage Whale Weathervane

$2,400

H 41 in W 38 in D 7.5 in

Vintage Whale Weathervane

Located in Houston, TX

This wonderful vintage whale weather vane has a fantastic aged patina. The rustic wooden whale sits on a custom wood base attached by a metal rod with a Directional arrow and scroll ...

Category

Early 20th Century English More Folk Art

Materials

Metal

19th Century Horse Weather Vane
19th Century Horse Weather Vane

19th Century Horse Weather Vane

$3,500

H 32 in W 44 in D 6 in

19th Century Horse Weather Vane

Located in Coeur d'Alene, ID

19th Century sheet iron silhouette horse weather vane with original iron mounting rod. Mounted on a more modern base. 32"H x 44"L base 29" x 6" x 6" PERIOD: 19th Century ORIGIN: Ea...

Category

Antique 19th Century American Weathervanes

Materials

Iron

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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.