Colonial Wrought Iron is a photographic survey of early wrought iron work in America with 506 photographs from the Sorber Collection. The colonial period in America was centered around the blacksmith who was the maker and creator of these items. The informational text explains the characteristics and the conditions of the period in which the iron was forged. Colonial Wrought Iron is an invaluable resource tool for the blacksmith involved making reproduction hardware and related items, as well as an inspiration for merging form and function. In this book you will find the commonplace and the ornate but they all reflect the hand of fine craftsmanship. The work displayed in Colonial Wrought Iron is from the collection of Jim Sorber. Jim, now in his eighties, has been an avid collector for 70 years. This collection is a result of a life steeped in an enduring appreciation for the skills of his ancestors. Even as a child he was interested in their hand tools and the wonderful things they made. That interest soon grew into a passion. A unique aspect of Jims collection is that it reflects a certain ethnic influence. Much of his collecting has been done near his home in the counties of Berks, Chester, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery and Schuylkill. This area has been settled by German immigrants since the mid-to-late 17th century. Jims collection, many pieces of which are signed and dated, reflects an iron chronicle of the Pennsylvania Dutch migration westward from the Philadelphia area.

Artists have made gates and fences in wrought iron over the centuries in ornamental designs shown here in hundreds of photos. The restoration of wrought iron is discussed and ironwork examples are organized according to their uses, such as gratings that protect doors and windows, entries and gates from Europe in the Middle Ages, artistic creations of the 17th and 18th centuries, and works of our own day.

This classic work documents the many uses and ingenious adaptations of wrought iron in architecture, with numerous examples from the fourteenth century through the twentieth centuries. Gerald Geerlings' extensive introduction details the properties of wrought iron; its textures; tools and terms of the trade; architectural applications, design, motifs, and ornamentation; economic considerations; finishing; and more. The author illuminates the history of wrought iron with carefully researched surveys of the craft in several countries, including Italy, Spain, England, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, and America. Nearly 400 illustrations, including 73 clear drawings and 307 sharply focused photographs of gates, railings, screens, lighting fixtures, bannisters, balconies, door knockers, and other objects, chronicle the evolution of wrought iron as both a structural and decorative material. Special attention is devoted to early-twentieth-century developments and applications of this highly useful metal.

Every year, Yorktown, Virginia, relives its role in the Revolutionary War by celebrating the anniversary of the British surrender in 1781. This year, plans include a re-enactment of the original battle and a colonial craft fair. Meg Langslow has returned to her home town for the festivities--and to sell her wrought-iron works of art. Except, of course, for the pink-painted flamingos she reluctantly made for her mother's best friend--she's hoping to deliver them secretly, so she won't get a reputation as "the blacksmith who makes those cute wrought-iron flamingos." Besides, she has taken on another responsibility--making sure none of her fellow crafters ruin the historical authenticity of the fair with forbidden modern devices--like wrist watches, calculators, or cell phones. She's only doing it to keep peace with the mother of the man she loves. And Michael himself will don the white-and-gold uniform of a French officer for the re-enactment--what actor could resist a role like that? Meg's also trying to keep her father from scaring too many tourists with his impersonation of an 18th century physician. And to prevent a snooping reporter from publishing any stories about local scandals. Not to mention saving her naive brother, Rob, from the clutches of a con man who might steal the computer game he has invented. It's a tough job--at least, until the swindler is found dead, slain in Meg's booth with one of her own wrought-iron creations. Now Meg must add another item to her already lengthy to do list: "Don't forget to solve the murder!" Fortunately, the more trouble Meg faces, the more fun the reader will have--and Meg faces plenty of trouble in this lighthearted and funny novel.

This vintage book contains a comprehensive training manual for students, professional workers, and others interested in hand-wrought ornamental ironwork. Written in simple, plain language and full of helpful illustrations, this volume is ideal for novice metalworks looking for an introduction to the subject. Contents include: "The Spirit of Decorating", "History of Ornamental Ironwork", "Beauty, Strength and Pliability Combined", "Correct Principles in Designing", "Mere Ornament not Decoration", "Decorative Value of Curves and Lines", "The Inspiration of Art and Nature", "Equipment", "The Forge", "Fuel", "The Fire", "Heating", et cetera. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on metal work. First published in 1911.

In the half century after the building of the Crystal Palace (1851), some architects, engineers, manufacturers and theorists believed that the fusion of iron and ornament would reconcile art and technology and create a new, modern architectural language. This book studies the development of mechanised architectural ornament in iron in nineteenth-century architecture, its reception and theorisation, and the contexts in which it flourished. As such, it offers new ways of understanding the notion of modernity in Victorian architecture.

This book on the history and technology of architectural ironwork aims to impart an understanding of the myriad of forms and uses to which ironwork has been put. In addition, the book describes techniques for restoring and preserving ornamental ironwork. Also shown are many of the traditional patterns and design motifs which can be used as tracings for contemporary design.