Whirligig: Man in Blue Coat

Date1900-1925 (possibly)

MediumMaple, pine, iron, and paint

DimensionsOverall (excluding semi-circular, non-original base): 12 3/4 x 8 x 3 1/4in. (32.4 x 20.3 x 8.3cm)

Credit LineBequest of Effie Thixton Arthur

Object number1979.700.3

DescriptionA full-length figure of a man. The entire figure--including the hat--is carved from a single piece of wood. The paddles were carved separately and mortised onto either end of a turned wooden axel inserted into a hole drilled through the figure at the shoulder. The figure retains one coat of paint which shows evidence of both age, abrasions and, possibly, sanding; whether the paint is original to the piece is unknown. The round, semi-circular base has age but is not an original element of the piece.Label TextDespite the attention devoted to the figure and costume of this nattily dressed, portly gentleman, the whirligig's maker chose to substitute simple paddles for carved, wind- catching arms.ProvenanceBequest of Effie Thixton Arthur, Wilton, Conn.