The first Wallace fountains date from 1872. Designed by Charles-Auguste Lebourg, these public drinking water points were named after Sir Richard Wallace, the English philanthropist who financed their construction. At the time, Wallace created four models of different sizes and designs, made of cast iron, an economical and robust material. The fountains were produced by the Val d’Osne foundry, and later by the GHM foundry in Sommevoire, which took over Val d’Osne. Production of the famous fountains has never ceased. Once cooled, the works go to the fettling workshop where they are cleaned of casting residues.