Click any image to enlarge
AI Appraisal
Description
The horse and rider are gilded. The harness is painted red and black. The rider's hat and boots were painted red and black, one boot is gilded. The horse's tail was broken off, a leg slightly cracked, and the rider's neck was cracked when packed improperly by the moving company we used. The horse is still mounted on the arrow, which appears to be in good condition with some wear and crackle to the paint. No markings on the horse or mount. I need to find out the value of the piece prior to being broken and current value so I can settle a claim with the moving company.
Category
Other
Medium
Metal, tin or copper
Distinguishing marks
gilded
Condition
Fair
Size and dimensions of this item
29.5 in. arrow, 14.5 in. horse x 12 inches
Date Period
70 years+
Weight
approx. 2 lbs
History
The weathervane was on my great grandparents' barn at least 70+ years ago.
eBay Auction Link
⚠️ You have 1 free appraisal left today
Upgrade for 15-30/day →
Want more from your appraisals?
View Plans →
Upgrade for PDF reports, more daily appraisals, and ad-free experience.
Re: Antique Horse and Rider Weathervane
This weathervane dates to probably the first half of the 20th century. It would appear to be tin with iron arrow and would have originally had a lightning rod coming out the top. You see identical horses all the time but having the rider is a rarity. Most horse examples in good condition sell for $100-$250. This one, if it were in perfect original condition, would be a bit of an unknown- I think in the $400-$600 neighborhood, and possibly more (there is little to go on for sale history on this one.) The cons are the bright gold surface- it would appear to be not original to the piece, having been repainted at some point. NEVER alter the surface of a weathervane or try to clean it, if you have a truly valuable piece you will destroy the value in the blink of an eye. The other obvious cons are the damage, which is unfortunate. As is, it is would need repaired for good value at sale, but the rarity still might see it bring several hundred dollars.
Note- you cannot use an appraisal from here to make a claim against the moving company, you will need a certified appraisal of true market value, and make sure to find someone qualified in dealing with authentic antique weathervanes. Again also stress the market value appraisal- lots of appraisers jack up values in their appraisals, especially for jewelry or items they are unfamiliar with and it leads to heartache down the road.