Weathervanes have even made their mark on stamps. Collectors might recall that, in
1965, the United States Postal Service selected a flying Angel Gabriel vane as the
subject of its first Christmas stamp. The real weathervane behind the stamp was made
in 1840 for a Methodist church in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It was later the
subject of a 1937 painting. A controversy ensued because while the name "Gabriel" is
clearly masculine, the torso of the weathervane was undeniably feminine. The debate
was resolved after the Post Office contacted a Jesuit priest who clarified the situation
by explaining that angels are sexless, and individual artists can take liberties when
creating their shapes.
