A directional pointer mounted to rotate freely atop a roof or cupola, traditionally carved or built in a recognizable silhouette, such as a rooster, eagle or ship, and balanced on a vertical spindle so that it turns to face into the wind. Devices for reading wind direction are documented from ancient Mesopotamia and classical Greece, and medieval turret pennants are considered ancestors of the later decorative form; in colonial and early American practice, individually made copper and wood weathervanes, credited in part to coppersmith Shem Drowne's 1716 vane, gave way after 1860 to vanes produced by companies casting standard patterns.
Facts
OriginWind-direction devices are documented from ancient Mesopotamia and Greece; the American decorative weathervane tradition, individually made until the mid-1800s, is credited in part to coppersmith Shem Drowne's 1716 vane. 1 Distinguishing Technique or ResultA flat or three-dimensional silhouette is balanced and mounted on a vertical spindle so it rotates freely to point into the prevailing wind, requiring precise balance around the pivot. 1 Connections
Associated With
Tools Used
Coping Saw is used in Weathervane Woodworking Plan.
Sources
1. Beneath the Surface: American Weathervanes (Decorative Arts Trust)
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