A rare cast iron survivor from the 1800's with pebbly surfaces, worn and aged paint and a patriotic theme, this is a superb piece of antique American folk art. Measuring 16 inches tall on a base 10 inches long by 6 1/2 inches front to back, and 14 inches across the palm fronds, it weighs 6 1/2 pounds.
The two antebellum women at the top are wearing hoop skirt dresses with three flounces. The lady on the left has retained a fair amount of the green, red and gold on her dress, while the one on the right has a mere patch of red. Originally, they may have held a mirror between their upraised hands. There is no indication of damage on their hands, but a sketch on page 471 of Clarence P. Hornung's book " Treasury of American Design and Antiques" (included in our photos) shows a mirror or picture frame.
The ladies are perched on drooping palm fronds that have much left of their dark green and gold colors. The fronds are branching out from a cream-colored obelisk that's anchored to a dark green base composed of acanthus leaves. On the left side of the obelisk flies an 1818 flag* with 20 white stars on a blue background. The flagpole is a gold painted spear. On the right is red, white and blue shield similar to the one on the Great Seal of the United States. It's surmounted by golden foliage and arrows. The back of the piece is undecorated and has a coat of dark green paint.
On the left side of the obelisk flies an 1818 flag* with 20 white stars on a blue background. The flagpole is a gold painted spear. On the right is red, white and blue shield similar to the one on the Great Seal of the United States. It's surmounted by golden foliage and arrows. The back of the piece is undecorated and has a coat of dark green paint.
This piece has had a narrow repair on the left palm fronds, close to the obelisk, easily seen in our photos, and has a replacement nut and washer (the screw is original) on the underside of the base, probably added sometime in the past for stability. All the paint is original and untouched and there are no cracks or breaks or missing pieces. This a great antique folk art find that makes a wonderful decorative display.
*Congress passed the Flag Act of 1818 which specified 20 stars for the 20 states at the time. In 1819, A star was added for the admission of Illinois.
