ETHAN ALLEN HORSE WEATHERVANE WITH EXCEPTIONAL SURFACE

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ETHAN ALLEN HORSE WEATHERVANE WITH EXCEPTIONAL SURFACE

About the Item

Until sometime last year, this beautiful full-bodied, copper, running horse weathervane could be seen when driving on Route 1A, perched atop a barn on the Boydon farm in Wenham, Massachusetts. Made circa 1860-1890, the body, mane, tail, and cross bar of this “Ethan Allen” style form is covered with a dry, impeccable verdigris that varies in color from seafoam green to Robin’s egg blue. Seeping through the fine craquelure is the original chrome yellow sizing that served as the undercoat for what once would once have been a gilded surface.

The very large scale of the animal (42”) is complimented by its unusually wide and sculptural form. This is what was called a ¾ body weathervane, meaning that it was intended to be ¾ of the scale width of an actual horse; very different from most horse vanes that came in ¼ and ½ scale. Even the cross bar and shaft are uncommonly large, which adds to its appeal. The inside of the shaft has great, natural wear and serves as a firm mark of authenticity.

According to a former owner of Fiske (one of the nation's leading weathervane manufacturers in the 19th century), this was the largest version of its Ethan Allen form. The leading makers of weathervanes all copied one another, however, so it is difficult to impossible to be certain of the actual source of any particular example, unless it’s signed. And since stamped signatures are often hidden under paint, very few are actually identified.

The head of this weathervane is steel, which is quite unusual and may help aid in narrowing the date bracket. Heads on surviving examples are more often cast from lead because of rust-proof quality and lower melting point. The use of steel might have been an earlier trait, replaced with lead and zinc as makers gained experience.

The shapes of many horse weathervane molds were derived from Currier & Ives prints that depicted famous race horses. Each horse had its own running style (nose up, head flat forward, head perpendicular to the ground, etc.), which prompted their specific features. That is the case with Ethan Allen, a son of the equally famous Blackhawk, from which another popular weathervane form was made.

Note: Wenham, Masachusetts is a very early town. I was officially annexed from the Town of Salem on May 10th, 1643 and was incorporated by the legislature on September 7th of that same year.

Condition: There are four repaired bullet holes.

Note: There are two substantial mounts for display, a standing mount for a flat surface and a wall mount.

Dimensions:
Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 42 in (106.68 cm)Depth: 3.5 in (8.89 cm)
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1860-1890
Condition:
See item description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: wv-0251stDibs: U080624849722