Pot Metal had its start in the early 1920’s budding automobile industry. All the non-ferrous metal leftovers were gathered and thrown into a pot. The non-ferrous, or iron-free, metals had a low melting point making them great for castings. The pot metal mix was not at all precise. Some common metals used were lead, zinc, tin, copper, magnesium, aluminum, and cadmium. Small amounts of iron would also find their way into the mix.
Many of the casted metal fixtures from the early 20th Century are pot metal and if you follow our social media posts you will no doubt have seen them in their restored state, including this antique flush mount fixture.
The fixture required cleaning, a new porcelain socket, wires, wire sheathing, mounting bracket, and a porcelain collar and thumb nuts to be painted to blend into the fixture. (click the parts link to be directed to its sales page or inquire about parts for sale at info@vintporium.com.) The fixture was then linseed oiled to bring out its luster.
The fixture will now make its way to the photoshoot and should be ready for its debut in a week or two.
The fixture required cleaning, a new