Cast-zinc fountain titled the "Centennial Group," "Boy and Girl Fountain," or "Out in the Rain." The fountain features a boy holding an umbrella over his and the little girl standing behind him's head. The pair are standing on a rocky base. The finial of the umbrella is the spout for the fountain, and the water trickles over the edges of the umbrella. This fountain was displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial International Exposition of 1876, where it received high praise. As a result, this design was recreated by a number of cast iron, terra cotta, and cast zinc manufactories with minor variations.
Label Text:
Early in American history, a time when life was more about survival than decoration, water was collected from civic wells and fountains and used for irrigation, cooking, drinking, animals, and cleaning. By nineteenth century, fountains and other water features became decorative accents for the home or garden, enjoyed for the sound and play of light offered by cascading water. In the nineteenth century, systems of mass production and growth of the cast iron industry made fountains accessible to wider audience, including the middle class, yet they remained a symbol of elegance and pretention. By the mid-nineteenth century, fountain components were mass produced. Cast-iron pieces were created by pouring molten iron into molds of compressed sand. Once the iron had cooled, it was removed from the mold. Rough places and sharp edges were then filed away before the piece was bolted together. It would then be painted, varnished, galvanized, or bronzed several times to prevent rust. Since cast iron pieces were made in components and bolted together, numerous combinations were possible. Consumers were able to select from a range of figures, basins, sprays, and pedestals to create a somewhat customized fountain. The Victorian taste for highly ornate was fulfilled by the malleability of metal, which allowed for every surface to be covered with ornamental patterns and botanical subjects. Designs followed the trends of the time with natural forms, ornamental motifs pulled from historic revival styles, and complicated shapes. This satisfied the nineteenth-century tendency to combine of styles, along with elaborate, often whimsical motifs were available through the numerous options for waterspouts, fountain figures, balusters, basins, and coping—molded edging—for fountains.
Inscription(s):
Inscriptions: E.T. BARNUM/WIRE & IRON WORKS/ DETROIT MICHIGAN and J. W. FISKE MANUFR NEW YORK
