Running Horse Weather Vane

Before the advent of modern mechanized devices, weather vanes were an important source of information on shifting weather conditions. The horse shape was common; in fact, weather vanes often memorialized famous racehorses. The elegant simplicity of this example is characteristic of the works of Alvin L. Jewell, one of the most important 19th-century weather vane designers. At his metal manufacturing firm, A. L. Jewell and Company, Jewell invented a molding process so that he could mass-produce his handcrafted work. In this example, Jewell made the head of a solid, heavier metal, so the weather vane would balance properly and point toward the wind’s source. Jewell’s innovative manufacturing and advertising methods helped to change the growing American weather vane industry.