Synopses & Reviews
Since Philadelphia is so rich in its collection of cast iron façades as well as being home to both the nation's foremost ornamental iron foundry and America's greatest wrought iron craftsman, the Philadelphia area will be used to illustrate Iron's Golden Age.
Possibley because of its Quaker background, Philadelphia demands that its architectural ironwork serve a functional as well as a decorative purpose. The functional uses of cast iron façades are self evident. Other good Philadelphia ironwork provides security, utility, privacy, as well as ornament. Many of these attributes are found in balconies, stairways, and fire escapes; railings, fences, and grilles; down to small items such as decorative hinges, foot scrapers, and door knockers. Ornamental ironwork is also used for street furniture, and garden objects, such as fountains.
Synopsis
The Golden Age of Ironwork, by Henry Jonas Magaziner, covers ironwork from roughly 1840 to 1930. Thus, it includes cast iron, which prevailed during the nineteenth century and hand wrought iron, which triumphed from about 1900 to 1930. With 173 photographs by Robert Golden the books describes this period golden period. There are also a few examples of contemporary ironwork