$56,288
J. Howard Cast Zinc and Molded Copper Ox Weather Vane, West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, c. 1854-67, flattened full-body figure with cast zinc head and front body section and molded sheet copper ears, lower front legs, mid-body, and hind quarters, the tail detached but present, mounted on an iron bar, no stand, (imperfections), overall ht. 22, lg. 34 in. Literature: In an article in the Maine Antiques Digest titled "The Many Directions of J. Howard, Weathervane Maker," by Myrna Kaye, August 1982, pp. 10A-13A, Kaye writes: "Attributions to Howard have been based, not on the vanes' designs, but on their unusual construction. Howard combined zinc castings of the forward part of the animal's body with hollow copper mid and hind sections and corrugated sheet-copper tails. Other manufacturers cast only heads and other small elements; large zinc castings - often the whole front body section - make the West Bridgewater products easily identifiable." One bullet hole through body, several bullet dents, vestiges of yellow sizing, rearward facing foreleg hoof has sliped down over bar from weight of zinc forebody, seam separation on belly, seam separation at tail.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2009-02-15
