Rare 1900s Gilded Native American Weathervane Auctioned
A comprehensive collection of metal artifacts, including a rare 1900s gilded copper Native American weathervane, several collectible bronze Tiffany Studio lamps, luxury brass watches, exquisite brass and copper jewelry, ornate bronze chess pieces, and copper coins were recently auctioned off June 8 at Morphy Auctions, locally in Denver, PA, and virtually across the globe.
Headlining the array of luxury goods was an astounding example of classic New England Americana: a molded and gilded-copper weathervane depicting a full-bodied standing Massasoit Indian with a three-feather headdress, holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. Created in the late 19th century by Harris & Co., of Boston, this extraordinarily rare weathervane production gleams with its high percentage of original gilding.
Molded and gilded-copper weathervane depicting full-bodied standing Massasoit Indian with bow and arrow atop directional
arrow with molded zinc arrowhead. Made by Harris & Co.,
Boston, late 19th century.
Photo courtesy of Morphy Auctions.
“It is unquestionably one of the best of all known original examples of an early American weathervane,” says Dan Morphy, founder and president of Morphy Auctions.
Measuring 37½ by 36½ by 7½ inches, the stately figural vane sold for $258,300, commanding the highest price of any of the more than 2500 items at auction.
Eighty lots of antique lamps were also offered, including several signature bronze and stained glass lamps by Tiffany Studios, demonstrating some of the deepest and most outstanding colors seen in stained glass of the early 20th century.
Notable Tiffany items included a Tiffany Daffodil table lamp with intricate mottled yellow flowers and a pineapple body with blow-out green glass displayed within a bronze webwork, and Tiffany’s unusual stained-glass Belted Rose table lamp with its shade encircled by a band of vibrant pink, red and white flowers sitting atop a patinated bronze and yellow damascene Favrile-decorated base.
Founded by Dan Morphy in 1997, Morphy Auctions of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania has realized tremendous growth and set numerous world antique auction records in many categories, while attracting a global following of buyers that grows exponentially with each successive sale.
“From the moment you enter the gallery, you know you’re in a special place,” says Andrew ‘Marty’ Martin, a customer since 1997. “At the gallery, I have met many wonderful collectors, experts, dealers and great people who all love the hunt for antiques and collectibles. You never know what unique items you will find, who you might run into or what you might learn once you enter the gallery.”
The two-day sale also included more than 50 vintage bronzes (including one by Carl Kauba), paintings and lithographs, antique brass clocks, 50 lots of vintage cameras, copper wares, and more.Resources:
Also in this Issue:
- Art Omi: Showcasing the True Nature of Sculpture
- Randolph Rose Collection: Creating Bronze Legacies that Stand the Test of Time
- The Whimsical Wildlife Bronzes of Pokey Park
- Rare 1900s Gilded Native American Weathervane Auctioned
- Rare 19th-Century Bronze Vase Designed by Thomas Hope Discovered in Oklahoma Collection