It's wild how the winds of the world are blowing us around these days. It's hardly a day that goes by that we don't feel the sting of sand in our eyes. For the July/August 2025 issue of the Magazine Antiques we took a literal approach to the windy weather: whirligigs. We can all use a little whimsy these days, after all, and whirligigs hold a fascinating past. Invented as fun yard ornaments and tourist souvenirs, whirligigs were often carved by fishermen in the off-season between mending nets. By the time tourists arrived along with warmer weather, they would have impressive displays chock full of nautical motifs.
As tourists brought whirligigs home, the fad spread. It was an analog virality, spread at the speed of steam trains and ferry boats.
We spoke with a number of collectors, including Parke Madden of Paul Madden Antiques and Robert Zordani of Z and K Antiques about how they spot a great gig, from patina to repairs. This is a rare type of antique, after all, for which visible repairs are a beloved evidence of time and story.
You can read our full piece on whirligigs for the Magazine Antiques July/August 2025 issue here. As always, we also highly recommend becoming a subscriber.
