Wrought Iron

Metalworking has a long and exotic history. For their ability to forge the very earth into useful tools, using only their fierce will, brute strength, and a hot fire, ancient blacksmiths were as revered as doctors and sorcerers.

In the Middle Ages, wrought iron was decoratively used in churches, castles, and cathedrals. At times, wrought iron was considered beautiful enough to have been inlaid with gold and precious stones.

The metalworking art continued to flower through the Baroque period, producing very fine and delicate gates, balustrades, and decorations.

The blacksmith lost his long-standing social stature only relatively recently--in the early 1800s--when Neo-classicism emphasized straight simplicity over artful decoration. He has never really gained it back, despite the growth in technology and new techniques, which allows for finer, more affordable products.

Today, most metal furniture is simply mass-produced cast iron, usually painted black. Done properly, authentic wrought iron can still fuse security and functionality into original pieces of art.

At This & That Decor, we still heat, work, and mold our metal in the long and glorious tradition of the blacksmith. We can produce unique gates, balustrades, screens, lighting fixtures, mirrors, chairs, tables, and more. This page contains just a few of our past works. Please contact us to discuss what we can create specifically for you.

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