Tinsmith Randy Hulsey makes and sells tinware reproductions of those made in the 1700 and 1800’s. These items were used in camps and common use in homes of this period. The Ecost and Betty lamps used whale oil, predating the kerosene lanterns that came about in the mid to late 1800’s.

A juried member of Kentucky Crafted, Mr. Hulsey works in his shop behind his house where you can find an original burring machine and a forming stakes machine that dates from 1849. He uses these today and takes some of his equipment with him when he does shows. “The only modern piece of equipment used is an electric soldering iron”, stated Mr. Hulsey.

He starts with a 20” x 30”, 28 gauge piece of tin and using one of the many patterns he has, he turns out items from cups and coffee pots, to lanterns and candle holders. “I do period work but I also have a contempory section in my catalog”, said Randy. “For the Governors Derby Breakfast, one of my lanterns was sent to the Capitol building in Frankfort and put right outside the Governors office and in Perryville, fall of 2004 some of my pieces were used in the historic homes”.

Randy Hulsey sets up at some of the Civil War Reenactment festivals where he portrays Colonial era through the American Civil War time periods, giving living history demonstrations by showing the art of tinsmithing. He sells quite a few as souvenirs as well as selling many to the re-enactors who can use them in their period set ups as Mr. Hulsey makes them just as they were made during the Civil War times. He has also had his wares for sale at the Shaker Museum in Auburn and at True Kentucky Store in Glendale, Kentucky.

“Uncle Billy Lawrence taught me the trade”, stated Randy. Mr. Lawrence went to Pennsylvania to learn this trade and started his business of five to seven years and then asked Randy if he wanted to apprentice under him. This was in 1997 and by the year 2000 Mr. Hulsey was on his own.

You can get a first hand look at how Randy Hulsey makes his tinware when he sets up his shop for show and sales on the original battlefield in May at the Sacramento, Kentucky re-enactment and Perryville, Kentucky. You can catch him at Rocky Hill, Kentucky in June. He will also be in Bowling Green in July at the Lost River Cave show. This will be his second year there and he says it is a good show.

“I had to research and find patterns from the Shaker period wares and from the Civil War times”, said Randy. I use pictures as well as duplicating originals that I find in museums to make my patterns”.

You can contact Mr. Hulsey at 270-781-1531 or by email at jctinshoppe@accessky.net.

Randy Hulsey says, “I love to have fun and although this is a lot of hard work, I am striving to keep history alive”.