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A Train Vane
One New Jersey contribution to American transportation is remembered in copper
William Thorne loved weathervanes. Appealing to his engineering sensibilities, a unique weathervane perched on Thorne's 1912 Morristown mansion was connected by a system of rods to a statue of Atlas in the home's great hall. When the weathervane turned, so did the statue, allowing one to know the wind direction even when inside. A second weathervane, seen here, capped the carriage house on Thorne's estate. Thorne had this piece made as a tribute to the company that made him a millionaire – the Union Pacific Railroad. Eastern investors like Thorne played a key role in the expansion of railroad networks across the western United States.
An unknown artisan made this weathervane by hammering sheets of copper into a wooden mold, then soldering the two sheets together to form the body. Exposure to the elements resulted in the beautiful turquoise patina, known as verdigris. The intricate details, including an engineer figure, a cowcatcher, and a long swath of engine smoke – which gives the aura of movement – mark the vane as a fine piece of metalwork |