Photo Gallery
Roosters
Galo the Barcelos
Our second visit was the Galo de Barcelos factory. Operated by the Reis family, and old friends and “stay forever” employees. The Galo de Barcelos have a legend with them that has been passed for generations and translated in six languages. It is a legend and a trademark for Portugal.
Before Christmas we started to bring them into our store but this time we have pictures of the factory and how they are done and how they started.
The Reis family started many years ago with the rooster but made of clay. Mrs. Reis told her husband to be at the time, “I do not want to make them in clay can you find other material”? The reason she did not like them in clay was because when they were all lined up to be painted if by accident someone touched the table they would fall over like domino pieces. What a frustration she said and waste of money.
So Mr. Reis told her from that time “we are making them in aluminum”. And so they did but it was not easy either because the traditional was clay so the first time they went to sell them they came back home with all of them.
They did not quite and said next time we will sale them and so they did and have been very successful because aluminum does not break as the clay.
Today they sell all over the country and they are in stores all over Portugal.
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Paulo one of Mr.& Mrs. Reis son and Mark and Paulo's brother handling the liquid aluminium.
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I will share with you how they are made. First they buy bars of aluminum and they go into an 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius pot. The aluminum melts and with a help of a ladle they pore it into the molds. They have to stay on the mold for 30 sec and they came out, but do not touch them. They will take a day to cool down. Next they go into a machine that will ruff them a little in order for the paint to stick onto it.
Checking for imperfections |
Mrs Reis painting |
Mrs Reis daugther-in law Sonia |
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All of them go to one of the employees to check for imperfections and then they are sent to be painted. All this process is made by hand one at a time with a lot of patience.
Paulo, one of Mr. & Mrs. Reis sons (the other works on the foundry) told us their goal is to make them individually and not to industrialize them.
Quality and satisfaction from their costumers is what they have in mind.
They use the roosters has napkin holders, wine corks, stand up ones, in cork screws, toothpick holders and the design can be with dots, hearts or flowers. Sonia, Paulo’s wife is in charge of the painting and selling them.
Paulo and his brother are the youngest minds of the business. Other activities they are involved with are painting wood trays, small wood boxes, and gorgeous and colorful ones too and pots and pans in aluminum. The process is similar of the rooster only they don’t have paint.
Colors of Portugal is proud to bring them to United State of America to our guest to be able to enjoy. Did you know you even can make them as wedding favors?
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Mrs Reis starting the paint.The paint used is acrylic. |
And the final product ready for the public. |
More Photos from our Trips to Portugal: