Antique English Architectural Wrought Iron Lion Coat of Arms

Description

An exceptional and rare 15th Century English wrought iron banneret weathervane with lightning rod. Features an ornate arrow and pierced … more An exceptional and rare 15th Century English wrought iron banneret weathervane with lightning rod. Features an ornate arrow and pierced coat of arms or crest with lion. Marked “4 lb” on base.

The Rampant Lion with the crown above its head stood for royalty.
The Trefoils (2 on there sides and one at the point of the “spear”) stood for longevity and can also represent the Holy Trinity. The 3 Lilies are the precursors to the Fleur-de-lis, and were commonly used to signify purity, loyalty, piety, faith, and can also stand for the Virgin Mary.

Purchased from one of the Great Houses of England, where it was on display in their collection. Surely belonging to a royal families home or castle. The “4 lb. base” is something that was added much later, when it was taken off the building it had been on. The base allows it to display nicely.

Weathervanes have been around for over 2,000 years, invented by the Greek astronomer Andronicus in 48 B.C. to determine the direction of the wind. The first weathervane – also called a “wind vane” – was fashioned to look like the Greek god Triton, who had the head and torso of a man and the tail of a fish. The word “vane” is derived from the Angle-Saxon word “fane,” which means “flag.” These pennants were first made from cloth, then from metal and balanced to turn in the wind. A crucial tool in battle showing archers the direction of the wind. less