Weathervane: Cockerel

Date1875-1900

MediumPainted wood and sheet iron

DimensionsOverall: 34 x 45 1/2 x 8 1/2in. (86.4 x 115.6 x 21.6cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1957.700.4

DescriptionLarge, painted, wooden rooster weathervane with iron straps. The body is painted brown, the beak yellow, the crest red, the eyes black on a yellow background. The varnish is quite heavy, now obscuring the original hues to a grea extent. The wings are blocks of wood probably carved separately. The tail is affixed to the back and held together by two bands of metal. There is a hole through the back with a metal plate nailed over it. A hole in the bottom receives a pole to support the bird.

Artist unidentified.
Label TextOne of the largest wooden vanes known, the dimensions of this cockerel suggest the size of the Ohio barn on which it is believed to have rotated once. The body, neck, and head are carved separately; the tail is made of two thick boards held together with iron straps.
Roosters are a common decorative motif within German-American material culture, enhancing a variety of utilitarian items. The great size of this vane, its subject matter, design, and substantial construction suggest a Germanic heritage.

ProvenanceStony Point Folk Art Gallery, Stony Point, N.Y.

Exhibition(s)