Colonial America
American Hand-Forged Iron 4" x 3” Coiled “Snake” Figure
c. 1775 18th Century Colonial to Revolutionary War Era, American Hand-Forged Iron 4" x 3” Coiled “Snake,” ex Voto 1700s Statue Figure, Very Fine.
An outstanding early American piece of period “Folk Art” no doubt undertaken by a Colonial era American blacksmith. It has the Hand-wrought ornate design of a coiled shape snake measuring 4” x 3” x .25” thick. This charming snake dates circa 1775 or so. No maker or date, yet it is known that small iron serpents such as this were sometimes kept at hearth mantles and around homes with the primitive belief that they contained the ability to ward off evil spirits. Several articles have been published documenting similar examples being unearthed in Virginia and the Carolinas, being a regional Southern tradition. Representation of a snake is clearly displayed, with the curvature of the body and even the subtle decoration placed into the eye markings of the head. There is some pitting to the piece from centuries of age and has natural patina, still overall a nice solid example for display.