J.W. Fiske Horse and Jockey Weathervane, circa 1890

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J.W. Fiske Horse and Jockey Weathervane, circa 1890

About the Item

Listed is a rare and outstanding full bodied J. W. Fiske copper and zinc horse and jockey weathervane. It is in excellent all original condition with an extraordinary amount of the original gold leaf intact; highly unusual to find in this state of preservation due to inclement weather exposure to which they were subjected. The jockey is zinc and has been hand-painted, as is the head of the horse, whereas, the rest of the weathervane has clear evidence of high gold karat application with the majority of it still in place. An identical example of the stallion can be seen on page 77 of "The Gallery of American Weathervanes" by Bishop and Coblentz written in 1981. That example is also copper with a cast zinc jockey and horse head. Subject matter of horse and jockey symbolizes the popularity of horse racing, steeplechase, and harness racing during the late 19th century which is further illustrated in several Currier and Ive's lithographs of the same period. The manufacturer of this weathervane, the J.W. Fiske & Co., was established in New York City in 1863 by Joseph Winn Fiske. In addition to weathervanes, they were premier makers of upscale decorative iron works for gardens. Many of their weathervanes and products were custom-made to order. A Fiske weathervane with horse and rider and most of the gold leaf extant is a rare weathervane indeed. The exact same horse is featured in Steve Miller's collection in his book written in 1984 "The Art of The Weathervane" on page 114 (noted as J.W. Fiske 32"). He was a leading collector and authority of weathervanes. Provenance: This example has resided in the same collection for the past 50 years and has only recently surfaced. Dimensions: 15 1/4" high x 32 1/2 " long x 5 1/4" wide. (with Stand) 19 1/4" high x 34 1/2" long x 5 1/2" wide. The weathervane is mounted on a beautifully molded, antique, solid walnut base running the full length of the vane.

Creator:
J.W. Fiske & Company (Manufacturer)
Dimensions:
Height: 15.25 in (38.74 cm)Width: 5.25 in (13.34 cm)Depth: 32.5 in (82.55 cm)
Style:
Folk Art (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Copper,Zinc,Cast,Gilt,Hammered,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1890-1899
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1890
Condition:
Most of Gold Leaf Extant.
Seller Location:
Incline Village, NV
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU97325467013