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“The patterns in the tin are intricate and delicate,” Kellie says. “We found some very different patterns in various parts of the United States. In the late 19th century and early 20th century tin ceilings were popular and the artistic variation are probably due to a particular artist creating design molds for tin that he trained apprentices to hammer out for him.” Designers often employed repeated geometric shapes in their patterns. Squares were popular; the beaded lines of small to larger squares laid down in uniform lines. Diamonds were manipulated in a similar way but these could also be broken into triangles and framed by rectangles. Fleur de lis and large hexagons formed with a running style of hieroglyphic designs looked like they might have come out of the tombs. A popular circle design incorporated tiny leaves into the borders. Backgrounds between designs were often hammered over a rippled or dotted surface. Two years ago, the Ankes spent a fair amount of time searching for material. Their experiments with restoring groups of the tin squares and using them to frame mirrors showed them that there was a market for dad’s hobby idea. With their limited amount of material, they tried a few church and school craft shows. The response encouraged them to pick up their search for tiles at likely demolition sites, antique shops and flea markets locally and when they travelled. “There are areas in Pittsburgh that we call tile pockets,” says Kellie, who is a resident of the North Hills section of Pittsburgh. “Bloomfield is one of these pockets.”
and she says they made the mistake of trying to reclaim the tin ceiling. “The tiles were covered with smoke and tar and we had to work wearing respirators. Never again!” The best of these old tiles aren’t very easy to reclaim. The “raw” tiles are covered with layers of paint and sometimes they’re rusty. The first step of the Anke process is grinding the paint off with a wire wheel to highlight the tile designs. Then they wrap the edges of the tile around a piece of wood to give it stability. In the case of making a small mirror, they will carefully cut the center of the design out and use a router to prepare to insert a mirror using both glue and tape. At this point, they may paint the tin in one of several colors and finish the square with a clear coat of paint and a hanger. “We found a single panel in an antique store where they were asking $60. In another store we were able to buy some $10 tiles that we turned into a four foot square mirror that we priced at $400 because of the amount of work involved,” Kellie says. She calls mirrors their “bread and butter pieces” because these are popular in all sizes. They also make tiles into plaques, clocks, planters and sconces. A group of restored tiles may be used to frame a window or doorway.
“We really enjoy working together and it’s fun to see something beautiful emerge.” The Ankes will present their unique restored antique ceiling tile art at Shaker Woods for the first time this summer. Expect to find mirrors, plaques, clocks, planters and sconces. Prices range from $48 to $400. You will have to see these beautiful art works to understand the decorating value of a restored piece from the past. © Copyright ShakerWoods.com |
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