Aha, the garage‑sale treasure hunt. Porcelain cans were the luxury of the 19th‑century paint world—fragile, elegant, and expensive to ship. They were mostly a status symbol for wealthy households and industrial painters who cared about a tidy, almost museum‑like finish. By the 1950s, a practical truth took over: tin was lighter, cheaper, and could be mass‑produced in an assembly line, plus it was easier to recycle. The shift wasn’t just about cost; it was also about the changing tastes of a society that valued speed over splendor. So yes, those cracked porcelain cans could become quirky coasters or an avant‑garde sculpture—just remember, the real artistry is in making the old look new without losing the narrative that the porcelain itself tells.