Sconce, 1974

Tin-plated iron, commonly called "tin," was the dominant material for utilitarian items in 19th-century America. Local tinsmiths produced an almost endless range of goods. But as more durable and lower maintenance materials emerged, handmade tinware came to be considered a folk art or heritage craft. This 20th-century example was produced in the Greenfield Village tin shop using historical tinsmithing tools and techniques.