Information on Weather Vanes
From atop barns, ranch houses and churches, weather vanes have been trusted indicators of the changing wind since the days of Ancient Greece. Some were wooden, some were molded and cast in iron and some were hammered from sheets of copper. These instruments, artistic and functional, are seen across the landscape.
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History
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As far back as 48 BC and the ancient Greeks to the 21st century, weather vanes have been used to predict the wind's direction. The oldest known weather vane was a large figure of Triton, the sea god. It was mounted on the Tower of the Winds in Athens, Greece. The weather vane has become a recognizable symbol of American folk art.
How They Work
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No matter the design, weather vanes do exactly the same thing. They indicate the wind's direction. The portion of the weather vane with the biggest surface area, such as the tail in the rooster design, causes the most resistance to the wind. This allows the front of the design, like a rooster's head, to point in the direction of the wind. If the weather vane has an attached compass, the wind direction will be indicated, such as north or west. For better accuracy, a weather vane is often mounted on a pole on the roof of a structure to avoid obstacles in capturing the wind's direction.
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Shapes and Designs
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Weather vanes have enjoyed a variety of shapes and designs. From the patriotic eagle themes of a new country after the Revolutionary War to angels, carriages, horses and other farm animals, weather vanes express the owner's individuality. Along coastal climate areas, nautical themes and boats were popular shapes. Churches often place rooster-shaped weather vanes atop buildings.
Value
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Weather vanes are valued because they are usually one of a kind pieces. Rarely mass produced, many rural farmers made their own or had them made by a local blacksmith. A Statute of Liberty weather vane, made from gilded copper, was sold at Sotheby's auction house in April 1982 for $82,500. An avid collector of weather vanes usually seeks out individually made pieces and those showing excellent craftsmanship.
Famous Weather vanes
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Paul Revere's shop had a wooden codfish weather vane. It was studded with copper nails to look like the fish had scales. It's on display at the Paul Revere House in Boston, Massachusetts. The First Church in Albany, New York, uses the oldest weather vane in America. It was made in Holland in 1656. It is the traditional rooster weather vane design found atop many churches symbolizing the biblical passage in Luke of Peter and the rooster crowing three times.
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References
- Photo Credit stone chimney with weathervane image by lola from Fotolia.com
