Today, mill weights are prized for their folk-artsy qualities—bold shapes (from farm animals to heavenly bodies), strong colors, and weathered surfaces. “They have a great sculptural quality,” enthuses Leslie Keno as he goes eye to eye with an 18-inch-high brown bull that weighs in at about 40 pounds (the larger the wheel, the heavier the weight). Brother Leigh chimes in: “The strong, clean lines look good in any space, whether a prewar apartment or a country house.” Leigh runs his fingers over a worn, beat-up rooster as if petting a dog. “They were used outdoors so you want to see a crusty surface and some old paint.”