Painting tin in a period fashion...

[WoodenNutmeg]

I have quite a few reproduction tin sconces (see attached) made by Virginia Metalcraft (out of Williamsburg) that date to the 1960s.

My question is this...

Currently, what is the best period paint on the market today that would be suitable for painting these pieces (I'm considering black)?

[Hank Trent]

Re: Painting tin in a period fashion...

Black tinware I believe would typically be japanned. Here's one thread I recall on the subject which shed more heat than light, but might have something helpful.

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1796

You could also check the search engine here to see if there's anything on japanning.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[ACo.]

Re: Painting tin in a period fashion...

Go to Liberty on the Hudson's website for your japanning:

http://www.libertyonthehudson.com/pontypool.html

It's good stuff, I don't know of any other sources.

Actually, Virginia Metalcrafters was located in Waynesboro, Va. in the Shenandoah Valley and recently closed down. Don't know what Colonial Williamsburg is doing these days, but Va. Metalcrafters had been working with them for at least 50 years. All of their cast brass and apparently some of their tinware came from Waynesboro.

No baking is required and was not "in the day" either.

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: Painting tin in a period fashion...

Actually, Virginia Metalcrafters was located in Waynesboro, Va. in the Shenandoah Valley and recently closed down. Don't know what Colonial Williamsburg is doing these days, but Va. Metalcrafters had been working with them for at least 50 years. All of their cast brass and apparently some of their tinware came from Waynesboro.

Wow, thanks for the FYI, Tom...that's good to know.

Also, I greatly appreciate the link...that's exactly what I needed!

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Painting tin in a period fashion...

Actually, Virginia Metalcrafters was located in Waynesboro, Va. in the Shenandoah Valley and recently closed down. Don't know what Colonial Williamsburg is doing these days, but Va. Metalcrafters had been working with them for at least 50 years. All of their cast brass and apparently some of their tinware came from Waynesboro.

Note: Virginia Metalcrafters closed down, because they realized it was cheaper to import products from overseas as opposed to making it themselves...We were working on a field trip to see their facility in my College Mechanical Eng. Manufacturing class...but had to cancel it because they had stopped production by 2005.

Paul B.

[ACo.]

Re: Painting tin in a period fashion...

Thanks for giving out the correct date Stonewall_Greyfox, when you start getting old time goes by quicker than you think.... When they closed down they put a lot of good people out of work.

WoodenNutmeg, hope you have good results, I have been happy with it. Don't try to rush the process.

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: Painting tin in a period fashion...

Note: Virginia Metalcrafters closed down, because they realized it was cheaper to import products from overseas as opposed to making it themselves...We were working on a field trip to see their facility in my College Mechanical Eng. Manufacturing class...but had to cancel it because they had stopped production by 2005.

Wow, even more interesting but yet very disappointing to hear.

I consider myself lucky then to be in possession of some of these finer pieces from Virgina Metalcrafters' heyday.

There are some real quality craftsmen still out there, working in the old traditions, but with each passing year I do notice the imports growing in quantity; very disappointing indeed.

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: Painting tin in a period fashion...

WoodenNutmeg, hope you have good results, I have been happy with it. Don't try to rush the process.

From what I have been reading on the substance, that's the best advice I can get.