Pair of antique French zinc architectural roof-top spire-form finials. In the 18th century, zinc became a popular roofing material in Belgium and France. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, zinc was also molded into other architectural forms, including roof finials, window surrounds, and decorative columns, as well as utilitarian objects, such as watering cans, wash tubs, and buckets. A hard-wearing, rust-proof material, zinc develops a wonderful gray-white milky patination over the years. France, 18th century