Skip to main content
Exhibition History“Folk Art from the Collection of the New York State Historical Association,” Museum of American Folk Art, NY, January 11, 2000 – February 18, 2000.
“American Folk Art: Collection from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, January 25, 2001 – March 24, 2001.
“Art of the Everyman: American Folk Art from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme, CT, May 28, 2014 – September 29, 2014.
ProvenanceJean and Howard Lipman, Wilton, Connecticut; Stephen C. Clark, Cooperstown, New York
Attributed to
L. W. Cushing & Sons
Grasshopper
Datec. 1883
MediumCopper, zinc, brass
DimensionsOverall: 15 × 38 × 8 1/2 in. (38.1 × 96.5 × 21.6 cm)
Object numberN0137.1961
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark.
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextWeathervanes, placed high atop roofs, have served as utilitarian wind-indicating devices for centuries. The first American-made weathervanes date from the early 18th century. Metalsmith, Shem Drowne (1683-1774), made several early American weathervanes, one of which was a copper grasshopper made in 1740 for Faneuil Hall in Boston. L.W. Cushing and Sons of Waltham, Massachusetts were possibly inspired by Drowne's grasshopper to create their own version. The weathervane appears in the company's catalogue as copyrighted in 1883 and selling for $60.Exhibition History“Folk Art from the Collection of the New York State Historical Association,” Museum of American Folk Art, NY, January 11, 2000 – February 18, 2000.
“American Folk Art: Collection from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, January 25, 2001 – March 24, 2001.
“Art of the Everyman: American Folk Art from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme, CT, May 28, 2014 – September 29, 2014.
ProvenanceJean and Howard Lipman, Wilton, Connecticut; Stephen C. Clark, Cooperstown, New York
On View
On view1840-1860
1840-1860
