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.
Forty plates of meticulously rendered hinges, grilles, railings, latches, door knockers, and more — selected from English chapels, tombs, castles, and other structures — span more than 600 years of metalworking history.
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.
Over 1,500 attractive black-and-white illustrations — drawn from balconies, gates, grilles, stair railings, and elsewhere — incorporate floral and foliate designs, human and animal figures, musical motifs, heraldic crests, mythological figures, geometrics, more.
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.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
