Lot 1232
  • 1232

NORWALK MILLS RAMATTRIBUTED TO F.H. NASH & BROTHER | Norwalk Mills RamAttributed To F.H. Nash & Brother

Estimate
6,000 - 12,000 USD
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Description

  • molded and repousse copper weathervane with traces of paint
  • Height 20 7/8 in. by Length 32 in.
  • circa 1880

Provenance

Norwalk Mills Co., Norwalk, Connecticut;
Florene Maine Antiques, Ridgefield, Connecticut;
David Procter, Connecticut;
Giampietro American Art and Antiques, New Haven, Connecticut.

Exhibited

Wilton, Connecticut, Wilton Historical Society, Weathervanes & Whirligigs, 1978.

Literature

Tom Geismar and Harvey Kahn, Spiritually Moving:  A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1998) cat. no. 28, illus. in color.

Condition

Few bullet and bee-bee holes to the sides. Surface wear consistent with age and use. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Purchasers may pay for and pick up their purchases from any of our Americana Week sales taking place from January 17-20, 2019, at our York Avenue headquarters until the close of business on Sunday, January 20, 2019. After this time, all property (sold and unsold) will be transferred to our offsite facility, Crozier Fine Art, One Star Ledger Plaza, 69 Court Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. Once property has been transferred from our York Avenue location, it will not be available for collection at Crozier Fine Arts until Friday, January 25, 2019. Crozier's hours of operation for collection are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday. Please note, certain items of property, including but not limited to jewelry, watches, silver and works on panel will remain at 1334 York Avenue. Invoices and statements will indicate your property's location. For more information regarding collection from our offsite facility, please visit sothebys.com/pickup.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Norwalk is a southwestern Connecticut city on the shore of Long Island Sound. While the city's primary product since Colonial days has been oysters, local farmers also grew flax and wool, which were processed in the many mills built along the Norwalk River, which flows into the Sound in South Norwalk, about forty miles northeast of Manhattan. This unique vane, which depicts a Merino ram, once topped the Norwalk Mills Co. and is thought to have been made by F.H. Nash & Brother, a local metalworking firm founded by Francis Nash (1825-1887).

The Norwalk Mills Co. was founded in 1863 and situated on the line of the N.H. & H. railroad. According to a 1901 history of Norwalk published to mark the city's 250th anniversary, "The company manufactures Overcoatings [wool suiting fabrics] exclusively. The quality of the goods is of such a high order that the product of the extensive plant is favorably known throughout the country. The area of the plant is 480 x 200 feet. Two hundred employees are given steady employment. As a result of their labor the annual out-put of the factory is 300,000 yards."