Those galvanized steel buckets are just fantastic vintage decoration.
Jugs, coal scuttles, pots, pans, clothes boilers, tubs, waste bins, watering cans, feeding and water troughs, weathervanes, railings and stakes: from the late 19th century the invention of sheet steel and galvanization gave rise to a whole range of items for cooking, cleaning the home, the garden, looking after livestock and agricultural production.
It was several decades before this process, which had been invented on the other side of the Atlantic, was industrialized in France. A young zinc worker from france’s Morvan region, Xavier Pauchard, the son and grandson of an itinerant roofer and zinc worker, developed an interest in 1907. In order to perfect his knowledge and to develop new uses, he ordered a generously illustrated book on the subject from the United Sates. Setting up on an abandoned plot of land far from prying eyes, Xavier Pauchard carried out experiments in the bottom of old pots. Neither the harsh climate nor successive failures, nor even the onset of poisoning, could stop him: he went on to master galvanized steel. Whether used for everyday items or for outdoor furniture, galvanization owes its pedigree to Pauchard’s tenacity.
A page had turned: galvanization opened up new horizons for working with steel. Sheet metal manufacturers soon took over from artisanal metal workers. Zinc never ceased to be reborn, and so, in a somewhat paradoxical fashion, this “rustproof” metal saw Tolix chairs move from the garden into the home in the 1990’s. Its attractive metal appearance, originally conceived to provide protection against rust, created a new aesthetic. Industrial style had found its signature.
You’re thinking about changing your interior decoration? Why not trying to introduce industrial style with some vintage decoration as galvanized steel items? You can find some really nice vintage decoration in our shop, have a look now!