Museum's collections
From hand-made nails to mechanical nail making
In the extent of the ancient principality of Château-Regnault, particularly between Meuse, Goutelle and Semoy, the manufacture of nails by hand made it possible to settle the population since the last centuries of the Middle Ages. In this poor region of the forested Ardennes, this activity compensated for the weakness of local resources and brought the inhabitants meager but essential income.
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What could be more moving than seeing a blacksmith forge a nail with a hammer on an anvil like in the old days? Supporting more than 11,000 people at the start of the 19th century, hand nailmaking was doomed to disappear with the introduction of an English nail-making machine in the mid-1820s.
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Eric SLEZIAK, creator of Woinic - a giant wild boar made entirely of metal, symbol of the Ardennes - has imagined a sensory path made up of hundreds of metal parts and burrs forming two cages of around 10 tonnes each. This stucture allows visitors to touch, feel and see pieces of all kinds and to be as close as possible to the metal.
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Eric SLEZIAK called it the Parcours de Paulin, in honor of Mr. Paulin CANIARD, one of the metallurgists at the origin of the museum.
Le Parcours de Paulin
To survive the disappearance of their old industry, nailmakers gradually devoted themselves to making bolts from the 1820s-1830s. It was under the Second Empire that the manufacture of bolts, nuts, rivets and lag screws took off to meet the growing needs of transport, particularly railways, but also of manufacturers of industrial and metal equipment, the Army and Navy.
Nut and bolt making
Close to ironworks, the manufacture of ironworks began successfully in Nouzon during the 1820s. Under the Second Empire, it extended to the current commune of Bogny and Charleville-Mézières to satisfy the growing orders from the railways. iron.To forge the red-hot iron into the desired shape, a falling mass called a pestle or hammer is used.
During the Belle Epoque, automobiles, the navy and artillery became important customers.
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Forging
After the sudden disappearance of most wood-fired blast furnaces in the mid-1860s, the direct casting was doomed to die out. Close to Lorraine, whose blast furnaces produce less expensive coke-fired iron, the Ardennes are converting into iron casting.
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During the Belle Epoque, the heart of the Ardennes foundry beat between Vrigne-aux-Bois and Fumay. Between Meuse and Semoy, Monthermé, Deville and Laifour are home to several foundries manufacturing cookers and stoves (Monthermé-Laval-Dieu), parts for the automobile and mechanical industry (Cochaux, Gustin, Cury, Collignon, Lacroix) among others.
Smelting
Despite the current difficulties, industry is still one of the main activities of the department. Ardennes companies have been able to diversify and work in very varied fields such as transport, aeronautics, construction, etc.
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Modern techniques such as additive manufacturing are now present in companies to meet customer demands.
The industry today
In this 56-seat screening room, you can sit comfortably to watch a 15-minute film. You will hear testimonies from retired or still active metallurgists and discover their point of view regarding metallurgy.
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What were the working conditions like 40 years ago? What does factory work look like today? You will have the answers to all your questions and you will understand why these people chose this profession, what they like about working with metal.
