Adding Weathervanes: Shapes and Styles for Your Home

Adding Weathervanes: Shapes and Styles for Your Home

Composed of two halves of hammered copper soldered together, weathervanes draw attention to the roof of your home or building. These copper and brass shapes have a long history, however. While used primarily for dcor in the present, weathervanes were needed to indicate the direction of the wind. Over time, this practical use was compounded with design, and the shapes of certain weathervanes became associated with specific establishments or businesses.

In the present, weathervanes come in all shapes and sizes. Roosters, grasshoppers, and horses are some of the traditional designs. Roosters, once called "weather cocks," were associated with the Catholic Church for several centuries. In the ninth century, the Pope decreed that all churches display weather cocks to symbolize the events taking place after the last supper.

Grasshoppers and horses, however, have long been used but do not have any type of religious association. A grasshopper-shaped weathervane was added to Faneuil Hall in Boston and was one of the first if not the first weathervanes added to a building in North America. Horses, on the other hand, became popular in the 19th century. Taking form as silhouettes or as well-known racing animals, horse weathervanes often depicted the animals running or were placed on top of stables.

In the present, the variety of weathervanes extends beyond this small pool. Practically any theme can be used. Nautical shapes, of boats, fish, or whales, are popular in coastal areas, while others change their copper weathervane to reflect the seasons. A weathervane depicting pine trees covered in snow is appropriate for winter, while birds in flight is representative of spring, and leaf shapes are typically associated with fall.

Designers of weathervanes often make these shapes in one of two looks: aged or polished copper. For the latter, the copper is polished until it has a bright, almost-reflective appearance. The surface will become tarnished over time unless you keep polishing it and will have a darker, naturally-aged patina. Aged copper weathervanes, on the other hand, may not even be aged at all. Instead, the surface is coated with a greenish-blue finish that mirrors the appearance of aged copper.

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