Milton tinsmith to be featured at Downtown Depot Saturday afternoon

HUNTINGTON — Jiles Mabe of J&J Tinware, in Milton, will demonstrate the ancient art of making tin utensils and decorations from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at The Downtown Depot, 401 Ninth Street in Huntington.

Mabe's skills have been honed over the past 50 years, starting in sheet metal school courtesy of  the United States Navy. "I've been bending tin ever since," he says. Once he got on-board ship, he started making tin tool boxes that he gave away to shipmates. After his discharge, he worked at Union Carbide in Charleston until he retired in 2000. All the while, he made tin and gave it away to friends and family members.

When he met fellow tinsmith, "Dale the Tinker" Cottrell, he discovered there was market for his products. Until then he had no idea it was saleable. After participating in  the WV Artists & Craftsmen's Guild at the Mountain State Art & Crafts Fair for 5-6 years, Mabe branched out on his own three years ago. Except for a year off in 2007, he's been a fixture at Cedar Lakes where he will be selling again this July.

Mabe's work is also sold at Tamarack and in fairs and festivals across West Virginia and Kentucky. He specializes in reproduction tinware reminiscent of the turn of the last century. Think Williamsburg and you know Jiles Mabe's style.

The Downtown Depot is open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday.

In addition to the WV artisan products, books and CDs, the Depot sells sundry items often seen only in a drugstore and snack foods. The store is owned and operated by Goodwill Industries and the revenue from all sales helps support the agency's many training programs for people with barriers which have prevented them from entering or re-entering the workplace.

For more information, contact Ms. Carter T. Seaton, Marketing Director at (304) 525-7034.