A tin ceiling is an architectural element, consisting of a ceiling finished with tinplate with designs pressed into them, that was very popular in Victorian buildings in North America in the late 19th and early 20th century. They were also popular in Australia where they were commonly known as pressed metal ceilings or Wunderlich ceilings (after the main Australian manufacturer Wunderlich). They were also used in South Africa.
History Tin ceilings were introduced to North America as an affordable alternative to the exquisite plasterwork used in European homes. They gained popularity in the late 1800s as Americans sought sophisticated interior design. Durable and lightweight, tin ceilings were appealing to home and business owners alike as a functionally attractive design element that was readily available. Important critics such as John Ruskin, George Gilbert Scott, Charles Eastlake and William Morris debated the implications of faux materials. These critics believed it was morally wrong and deceptive to imitate another material and blamed the degradation of society towards the "art of shamming" rather than honesty in architecture. Nevertheless, tin ceilings lasted longer than plaster ones and were easier to clean. They encapsulated ideas of democracy, making such decoration available to the middle class majority who supported the machine production. Tin ceiling tiles were an American innovation that emerged in the late 19th century as a more affordable, durable alternative to intricate plaster ceilings popular in European architecture. These pressed metal panels democratized decorative ceilings by making decorative ornamentation accessible beyond the wealthiest classes. Pressed metal ornamentation became widespread from the 1880s to the 1930s, with manufacturers using thin iron sheets initially, followed by tin-plated steel painted white to mimic plaster. Decorative metal ceilings were first made of corrugated iron sheets, appearing in the United States by the early 1870s. It was during the late Victorian era that thin rolled tin-plate was being mass-produced. Tinplate was originally made from dipping iron in molten tin in order to prevent rust. Later, steel replaced iron as the more cost-effective solution. Tinplate was not the only sheet metal used to make stamped ceilings. Copper, lead (known as ternplate) and zinc were other common architectural metals in the industry. Between 1890 and 1930, approximately forty-five companies in the United States marketed metal ceilings; most were in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, located along railroad lines that served as the main routes for delivering the pressed metal products directly to contractors. The Wheeling Corrugating Company out of Wheeling, West Virginia, became the leading tin ceiling manufacturer in the late 1800s. At that time, Wheeling Corrugating was a large steel mill that also made products from their steel sheets such as roofing and siding. Sheets of tin were stamped one at a time using rope drop hammers and cast iron molds. Using this method of production, metal was sandwiched between two interlocking tools. The top tool, or "ram," was lifted up by a rope or chain, then dropped down onto the bottom die, smashing into the metal that was underneath and permanently embedding intricate patterns into the tin. Someone who saw the merit of this modern machine for its artistic potential was Frank Lloyd Wright. In his articles, "The Art and Craft of the Machine" and "In the Cause of Architecture," the series published by Architectural Record, Wright elaborates on his modern theory of science and art and the role of the machine in the future of art.
Tin ceilings were traditionally painted white to give the appearance of hand-carved or molded plaster. They were incorporated into residential living rooms and parlors as well as schools, hospitals and commercial businesses where painted tin was often used as wainscoting. In the 1930s, tin ceilings began to lose their popularity and steel materials became scarce because of the effort to collect scrap metal during WWII. Many sheet metal companies began making other products in order to stay in business. In the 21st century, some renewed interest has been shown in tin ceilings. The increase in interest has stemmed from businesses that were renovating and an interest to return to the nostalgia of the turn of the century. Still to this day there exists a manufacturing company by the name of W.F. Norman Corporation that produces original tin ceilings and ornaments from the same rope drop hammers as it once did in 1898. Several other companies offer conventional tin ceilings as well as panels made to fit into a drop-ceiling grid. Interest in decorative metal ceilings revived in the late 20th century, particularly in the 1980s and beyond, as historic preservation and Victorian design aesthetics grew in popularity. Today, many manufacturers produce both historically accurate reproductions and modern interpretations of tin panels for residential and commercial interiors.
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
