Folk Art Clocks

Weathervane, weather vane, in the sky, What can you see on your perch so high?

For farmers or anyone working outside, time has always been a very important element. He has taught our ancestors sense impending storms, to hunt from down wind, and make fires safely.

Before the days of "weather" the weather vane was larger than the clock is today's workers. Weathervanes and the wind was a true indicator of weather patterns. Because of this weathervanes became indispensable to pioneers.

The first weathervanes were made of wood, with an arrow or pointing hand that had north-south directions indicated on them. Wood rots, if the creative pioneers and covered the wood with copper sheets to the wind vane a longer life. This is the weathervane too heavy, and he did not swing properly.

By definition, a weathervane is a figure that turns freely on a vertical rod and always points in the wind. Air time is derived from the word "fade", which means flag or banner in the Anglo-Saxon.

The Greeks built the first recorded weathervane about 48BC. It honored the Greek god Triton, as they believed that the winds had divine powers. It had eight sides that were carved representing the winds. Even then, they knew wind was a true indicator of weather patterns.

In the ninth century, one pope supposedly decreed that all churches have a cock on its steeple, a reminder of when Peter denied Christ three times, a reminder that each person would deny Jesus in some way.

The Quakers and Puritans thought weathervanes are graven images, so it was not until the eighteenth century weathervanes became popular in the United States. At that time, many churches adopted either cock or swallow-tailed blades.

In 1742, the most famous weathervane in the United States was made in Boston. Shaped like a grasshopper, with glass eyes. Just think, if it could talk grasshopper --- What is a historian, it would be. It has survived earthquakes, fires, and the Boston Massacre.

Thomas Jefferson with his creative spirit attached vane on Monticello to a pointer in the ceiling of the room just below. While sitting inside it could not until the wind direction.

"The Dove of Peace", a dove weathervane was commissioned by George Washington's estate in Mount Vernon. He commanded the weathervane commemorating the end of the War of Independence.

Weathervane usually based on the owner's interest, chicken, horses, pigs and other livestock for farmers, deer or dirty water for the hunter to scenes or humorous nature of sports figures . Small Weathervanes show personality.

The vanes are both plain and fancy, some very artistic and some humor, or just an arrow pointing in the wind.

The vanes are making a come back, fanciful designs that reflect the personality of the owners. Included in the upper dome, weather vanes give a look at the house to make them stand out from the crowd. http://prairierosecountry.com