UNIQUE & PERSONALIZED WEATHERVANES/WINDVANES
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CUSTOM TULIP WEATHERVANE
Nearly 6' long and 9' tall. This vane was cyustom crafted for a couple in Indiana. The unique tulip housing and overall appeal of this weathervane makes it truly unique...

WHOLE FOOD MARKET'S GIANT SHAD WEATHERVANE
High atop the store in Darien, CT - this 6 foot, 40 lb shad-fish weathervane can be seen off I-95 by about 1/4 million commuters each and every day. The vane required over three weeks of concentrated work and attention.

SUZAN'S BANNERETTE
Suzan contacted me thru the website, and said the liked my work and would like to have a bannerette made for her new barn. We passed pics and e-mails for a while, and I invited her to visit the shop...

ROOSTER WEATHERVANE
Arthur was very determined to find a rooster in a particular stance. He paid particular attention to whether the head would be looking up or forward. We traded a few sketches, sought outside advice, and...

NED'S ARROW WEATHERVANE
This handmade arrow weathervane will be flying on Ned's new barn in sight of Lime Rock race track. Ned was determined to have his detailed request produced...

CUSTOM REFINISHERS WEATHERVANE
I had wanted to make this weathervane for over five years. John had discussed a design with me back then, basically a replica of his logo. John owns Custom Refinishers (Danbury)...

CARDINAL BIRD FEEDER WEATHERVANE
Gold enamel beak. Bronze letters and arrowhead. For an old friend, Dan. He's a multi-generation local, the plumbing-type... the vane was a gift for his wife.

GRANDMA SWINGS WEATHERVANE
It has always been my strong intention to have vanes that do more than point into the breeze. "Grandma" is the perfect example...

ABOUT CUSTOM WEATHERVANES. I have come to realize, after 30 plus years of copperwork, that my "product" is not the easiest to market. After numerous shows and fairs, I learned that I had to meet thousands of people to get a handful of potential new clients. The reality is that no one goes to a town festival or state fair hoping that they can get a handmade copper weathervane for hundreds of dollars. A good roast beef sandwich, some fried dough and an amusement ride are more on the ticket. Mind you, I do enjoy meeting with people (to a certain extent) - but I am really about the work, my work... it's all about the copperworks with me.

My clients tend to have a current need, maybe their new building is now going up. Many are affluent, and can afford my work without thinking too much about it. Yet, I've found that many "mainstream folk" understand and appreciate the quality work of my craft and actually sacrifice to acquire it. I sometimes ponder whether it means more to either in the long run. Those are things you don't really ponder for long. Usually there is simply too much else to do.

The idea of a weathervane as a piece of art, a long-term investment, or as a personal statement or expression are the main reasons most clients find their way to The Secret Copper Shop. This type of purchase usually involves some thought and interaction. It's not likely that someone would call asking me to recreate something they saw at Walmart or the local Home Depot.

I've been doing this work for decades. There is no pressing the sale on my part. There is a particular matter of integrity to this type of work and the process involved. Clients generally need time to acquire a comfort level with my style, abilities, with what is possible with the metals and... with is possible with me. The same is true on the backhand of that. I look to see a person's enthusiasm to a project. It helps me be inspired to the real reason for my even doing this work... the smile, the joy, the excitement I see when a client views their completed piece for the first time.

I always try to meet, at least once, everyone I do work for. We discuss design, size, details, installation, and other concerns. We work out a common ground on pricing. Then, I begin the work.

For concept ideas, pictures and drawings often are handy and suffice. An e-mail or two can work. But - nothing beats meeting the client in person. Once I start a piece, it is always full throttle. I don't like to stop at all once I start. Lunch can wait, dinner can be reheated; start early the next day and keep at it 'til done. It can be somewhat obsessive. Somewhere in that obsession are the seeds of what makes each piece unique. I truly enjoy the entire process.

Settlers from Europe brought the tradition of weathervanes with them to America. These vanes included fish, sea gulls, and even ships, which stood upon roof tops in coastal towns. Paul Revere placed a wooden codfish studded with copper nails for scales above his silversmith shop in Boston. Early American farmers created vanes in the shape of Indians, arrows, and wild and domesticated animals, especially horses.