1950s Lono Ackert Cowboy Sprinkler

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This vintage figural metal lawn sprinkler, shaped like a cowboy twirling a lasso, is believed to date from between 1930 … Read more This vintage figural metal lawn sprinkler, shaped like a cowboy twirling a lasso, is believed to date from between 1930 and 1950 and bears a stamp on the inside leg reading, “Lono Ackert, Howard, N.Y., Pat. App. for.”
The body is cast iron, while the lasso is likely zinc and spins smoothly on its base. The paint doesn’t appear to be original, but research suggests it’s one of only about 100 made in the early years by the New York company.
Considered folk art, these iron sprinklers are rare, and despite the lasso being the most fragile part, it’s in excellent condition. The lasso mechanism is fully intact and functional.
Lono Ackert, the artist and inventor, is widely credited with the whimsical design, which uses water pressure through the metal lasso to spin and spray in a circular pattern, mimicking a cowboy’s trick roping. Due to the overpaint, it’s unclear whether this was the blue jean or tan chaps version he designed. See less