GODDESS OF LIBERTYATTRIBUTED TO CUSHING & WHITE | Goddess of LibertyAttributed to Cushing & White

William Holland, Gladwyne, Pennsylvania;
Giampietro American Antiques and Art, New Haven, Connecticut.

Robert Bishop and Patricia Coblenz, A Gallery of American Weathervanes and Whirligigs, (E.P. Dutton: New York, 1981) p. 46;
The American Flag in the Art of Our Country, Allentown Art Museum, 1976, p. 29;
Tom Geismar and Harvey Kahn, Spiritually Moving:  A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1998) cat. no. 65, illus. in color.

There are elements of an early gilt surface, with some areas of loss throughout showing the base metal. Areas have been regilt and touched up with a gold paint. Some separation to the seams are visible. The lower outside corner of the flag has been previously bent with associated losses to the painted surface, and there is still a slight bend to the tip. There is a 3" by 4" compression to her chest on one side, with few other minor dents throughout. 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.

The Goddess of Liberty, usually depicted holding the Stars and Stripes and wearing a Phrygian cap, became a popular symbol of American democracy and freedom during the Revolution and was depicted by a number of weathervane manufacturers and individual makers in the decades after the Civil War. A.L. Jewell of Waltham, who was the first to offer a Goddess vane, patented his design on September 12, 1865. Cushing & White, Jewell's successors, continued to manufacture his design; an early company brochure includes an illustration of Jewell's model with the 1865 patent date beneath it and offers her in 22- and 30-inch tall sizes, as had Jewell. The brochure also lists a big new 60-inch tall model that was designed by Boston carver Harry Leach and sold for $150.