old or not?

[jerseyben]

Picked up this painted wood blimp / dirigible / whale? on a stand.

Cant tell if it is an antique or just a "simulated aged" pier 1 special?

 

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[silverdollarbill]

What does the base of the stand look like?

 

[jerseyben]

It just looks like a block of plain wood.

 

[austin]

Think it's a very old weathervane , made to spin and follow wind direction. Fish shaped and probably painted in bright colors. Dates 1750-1850. I would need to see it to verify. Had one years ago in our antique store. That of course is just my opinion... Possibility that it is a fake, just can't tell. You have posted here forever. Think it's fake? I don't...

 

[smokeythecat]

How about a government representation of the "mothership"?

Don't know what it is.

 

[jerseyben]

Personally, I think:

The top part (pictured) might be original but I don't know how old or intended purpose. The wood is cracked due to years of weather exposure. The paint is flaking and peeling and I see some gray underneath.

I believe it has been mounted to a cheap modern base to be used as a display piece. The fact that the base is not old leads me to think that the rest of the piece may either be modern and constructed as one or the base was added to the top later for display?

I still think the whole thing could be relatively modern and simply left outdoors its whole life which made the wood appear aged.

Attached more pics.

 

[Tallone]

Think it's a very old weathervane , made to spin and follow wind direction. Fish shaped and probably painted in bright colors. Dates 1750-1850. I would need to see it to verify. Had one years ago in our antique store. That of course is just my opinion... Possibility that it is a fake, just can't tell. You have posted here forever. Think it's fake? I don't...

I doubt it is a weather vane. In order for the wind to move a weather vane, the vane needs to be relatively light with a flat surface. If this piece is made of heavy hardwood, it would be very difficult for wind to move it. This might be true even if it is made of a relatively light wood like pine. Just my opinion...

 

[bigcaddy64]

Personally, I think:

The top part (pictured) might be original but I don't know how old or intended purpose. The wood is cracked due to years of weather exposure. The paint is flaking and peeling and I see some gray underneath.

I believe it has been mounted to a cheap modern base to be used as a display piece. The fact that the base is not old leads me to think that the rest of the piece may either be modern and constructed as one or the base was added to the top later for display?

I still think the whole thing could be relatively modern and simply left outdoors its whole life which made the wood appear aged.

Attached more pics.

Did you try tasting some of the paint chips? If you get a distinct taste of lead, it should be somewhat on the older side. All joking aside, you could get a lead paint test kit. Since the paint was phased in the 1960s, it might give you an idea of the age. Try digging down to the color directly in contact with the wood. If its lead based, it should be pretty old. I don't think foreign countries could fake that.

 

[GibH]

It hasn't been all that long since China was using lead paint. They probably still are for all we know.

 

[diggummup]

It looks a couple feet long, how long is it?

 

[jerseyben]

It looks a couple feet long, how long is it?

Close to 2 feet long.

 

[OldSowBreath]

At first I though whale, but the tail is wrong. Looks old, though, like honest patina.

 

[diggummup]

At first I though whale, but the tail is wrong. Looks old, though, like honest patina.

I like the look of it and thought the same of the aging on it. Hard to tell from a photo though, nowadays they can artificially age about anything. I've searched high and low and can't find another match. You would think there is another one somewhere if mass produced, even if the aging is aftermarket.

 

[diggummup]

I was at a yard sale today and guess what?

I saw your piece or one just like it, minus the flaking paint.
It had a Big Lots sticker on the bottom of it.
Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the bottom but I did get a photo of the fish-

 

[jerseyben]

Thank you! Now I know for sure.

 

[cyberdan]

you did say Pier 1 right, high priced pieces. if they don't sell who gets them? Big Lots.
looks very old (not the base) but there are people in 3rd world countries that all they do is "antique" things.

 

[jerseyben]

I will probably sell it at my yearly yard sale for whatever I can get for it. I do this at least once per year to make space and free up some cash.