Wrought Iron And Metal Forging – Their History And Evolution

Being a blacksmith in the early days is not a profession, it is more of an art mastered for years or maybe even decades. After all, forging metal is not as simple as melting the metal, pouring it in a mold and letting it dry. The art requires much more skill, precision, power and most of all patience. This is why during the earlier days, blacksmiths have been regarded not only as artists but as powerful sorcerers and descendants of gods as well.

For the Catholic church however, metal forging is something associated with Satan worship and heresy. Consequently, any person practicing the craft is condemned and punished by death. But blacksmiths are not exactly easy to get rid of. They proved to be important members of the community as their tasks include production of essential items like horseshoes, pots, pans and other pieces which were used in a daily basis. So to regulate the craft, Bishop Dalberto and his successor created and supported an elite society of blacksmiths who were given the exclusive rights to wield metal.

Iron was among the blacksmiths’ favorite medium. In its pure form, iron is tough, but it is malleable and easy to weld together. Because of its hardness, it was originally intended for production of warfare supplies. However, since iron proved to be so much cheaper than other metals available in that era, blacksmiths soon shifted from arrowheads and swords to gates, grilles, window frames and home accessories. Each item was adorned with intricate and classic designs such as leaves on a vine, fleur – de – lis and some baroque inspired patterns. The finished products were generally referred to as wrought iron.

Due of its numerous uses, the world posted a huge demand for iron. Since the supply was not enough to meet the demand, mild steel was invented. It was formed by combining iron with larger amounts of impurities called slag. This combination did not only increase the volume of the metal but it also made it more flexible, tensile and affordable. This mild steel is the same material used for wrought iron furniture and home accents of today.

Currently, wrought iron accessories and furniture are made for almost any part of the house, from bed frames to curtain rods, wall hangers, lighting pieces like candle sconces, candelabras and chandeliers. More and more people are starting to appreciate them simply because they have this unique ability to set a character or solidify a theme to a house.

A black metal wall grille for example can instantly transform a boring wall to a magnificent centerpiece taken right out of the Gothic era. If rustic French is more to your liking, you can use that same metal wall grille by painting it in a different color, along the shades of brown or maroon and by hanging it on a warm colored wall. To achieve a more authentic look, you can take it further by selecting a pair of candle wall sconces of the same design to add a yellowish and warm glow to your modern abode.