Books to Read or Download
The four-volume set, American Painted Tinware, A Guide to Its Identification, by Gina Martin and Lois Tucker, is probably the most authoritative reference to this fascinating genre of collectible Americana. It has been called the best reference book on American painted tinware. It is a reference for many antique dealers.
The volumes are richly illustrated with photographs of original pieces and drawings showing the characteristic styles of the various tinshops.
Volume One
Volume One includes a Historical Perspective of Tinware, written by Shirley DeVoe, and then has chapters covering the Berlin, Connecticut tin shops, the Upson Shop of Marion, Connecticut, the North Shop of Fly Creek, New York, and the Butler Shop of Greenville, New York.
Volume Two
Volume Two includes an essay on the role of peddlers in the tinshop industry and a history of the Stevens Plains area of Maine, and then has chapters on the Stevens Plains shops, the Stevens Shop, Sarah Brisco and the Francis Sisters, the Oliver Buckley Shop, and Elijah and Elisha North Shop.
Volume Three
Volume Three concentrates on the Filley Tinshops with chapters covering the Connecticut Filley Shop, the New York Filley Shop, and the Pennsylvania Filley Shop.
Volume Four
Volume Four covers other tinshops. It has chapters covering artist-signed pieces, designs common to Connecticut Tinshops, designs common to New York Tinshops and a gallery of tinware from both known and unknown shops.
The books are available for purchase. Contact us at info@hsead.org.