Walkabout with Montrose - Wrought Iron
Join the reader known as Montrose Morris as she embarks upon wrought iron appreciation day. Last week, I introduced some of the exterior elements of design in stone and clay, a category we’ll be revisiting again, but today, I’d like to feature ornament in iron – forged, wrought iron, to be specific. The traditions of…

Join the reader known as Montrose Morris as she embarks upon wrought iron appreciation day.
Last week, I introduced some of the exterior elements of design in stone and clay, a category we’ll be revisiting again, but today, I’d like to feature ornament in iron – forged, wrought iron, to be specific.
The traditions of ironworking go back to the beginnings of many cultures, on many continents. The growth of travel and trade to all parts of the world opened up the world of design for the Victorian age.
Starting in 1860’s, the Aesthetic Movement, and concurrently, the Arts and Crafts Movement in Europe and later, in America, introduced the growing middle and upper classes on both continents to the design elements of the Middle East, India, and East Asia, which were all then added to the existent catalog of medieval, Renaissance, Celtic, and naturalistic patterns.
Designers and craftspeople in many different media, took these themes and created products for the fashionable Victorian home; fabrics, tile work, wallpaper, ceramics, furniture, lighting, stained glass, and wrought iron. Victorian aesthetics met practicality when it came to adding beauty to otherwise mundane and necessary objects such as fencing and security.
The necessity of enclosing one’s property, of securing ground floor windows and doorways from thieves, and providing safety in railings, balconies and fire escapes provided blacksmiths with the opportunity to create great beauty from heated and manipulated bars of iron.
Geometric patterns, classic medieval twisted and curved patterns, and floral flourishes were all utilized here. Combined, in many instances, with cast iron, they add texture and pattern to buildings already festooned with terra cotta, carved stone and carved woodwork, as well as cast hardware and lighting elements.
New Orleans style balconies can be found in various parts of Brooklyn, as can ornate railings and fanciful grillwork.
Early 20th century houses often featured ironclad glass doors with decorative wrought iron. Most of the fantastic railings in the photographs are from rows of speculative housing, so presumably, the ironwork chosen was mass manufactured, and picked from a catalog. It is amazing that so much of it has survived intact, especially on entire groups of houses.
Unfortunately, we know very little about the people who created this artwork, but we do know they came from many backgrounds and traditions; Italian, Spanish, other European countries, as well as a documented African-American tradition.
Their work is once again prized and treasured, and homeowners will pay handily to find vintage replacements to complete their homes. If your home still has some of this fantastic ironwork, take care of it, restore it and secure it, as it’s quite valuable.
Once again, I’m proud to feature the craftsmanship found in Crown Heights North and Bed Stuy, but great ironwork is all over brownstone Brooklyn. For more photos, check the Flickr link here.
[Photos by Suzanne Spellen]
Love this article and the photos, very inspiring. Thanks, Montrose.
The railing in the first photo may be modern, from an ironworker (a woman) who has a home store on Grand near Bedford in Williamsburg and does her iron work in Bushwick. I think I may have seen it in her portfolio.
My favorite museum in London is the Victoria Albert dedicated to the decorative arts. The whole mezzanine section of the museum is dedicated to wrought iron work — from filligreed hand wrought medieval altar enclosures from Spain with tendrils and patterns as delicate as lace, candleabras, windows, gates, etc. to machine made work from the Victorian era. That tradition was brought here and lives in the work documented by MM. Thanks Montrose!
my favorite ironwork in the city is when they used it as a balcony on pre-civil war brownstones. I dont think there are any in Brooklyn, but there are some on Washington Square Park and a few other places in low numbered streets.
They also have extra-large windows that go nearly floor to ceiling.
When I was very young, my father took me to the Met and turned me loose in the medieval rooms. I was fascinated by the foliate designs with the animals and faces hidden in them. I’ve loved that ever since- one of the reasons I go so crazy over the architectural detail in NYC. I used to walk around with my mouth falling open and walk into doors and trip over people because I was so enchanted with the detail on buildings. Older buildings are visually and texturally rich in a way new buildings aren’t. Every day in a Brooklyn neighborhood you can walk thae same street and still find some wonderful new detail, or small serendipity.
We were talking today about how people can live in a historic neighborhood and seemingly not notice things like the wrought iron, or the amazing terracotta or stonework. Brooklyn is an architectural wonder- all NYC is really. (Of course I take the credit for jumping up and down and screaming at MM to do more writing. She’s an amazing writer. If she doesn’t, I’ll jump up and down and scream some more 🙂
Montrose:
Checked your link and found the additional shots.
They were very touching, in their way.
They’re exactly how little kids experience the city — at least the way we did when I was a boy in Crown Heights during the 1950s.
All that terrific eye-level detail, so tactile in quality: the steps and surfaces where we bounced our spaldeens, and the nooks and crannies where we withdrew to cool down, watch the street action or sometimes take a nap.
And because kids’ heads are always swiveling around, the fire escapes and cornices above our heads made even the most ordinary walk interesting.
I never understood the attraction of country or suburban living — still don’t as a matter of fact — in part because I had such wonderful material to see and touch back in the old neighborhood. The same quality of detail I now try to find wherever I go (and for me, setting the standard of “the good life”).
For those debating the merits of public and private schools on another thread, take your kids on long walks through Brooklyn. It’s the best “public” education they’ll ever get! It’ll also help get their heads out of video games, there’s that much to see and enjoy!
NOP
MM I am sure it will be no problem. I will ask my friend which I am sure she will say yes… I will get back to you by e-mail. Maybe this weekend I can bring you there… Talk about wood detail in a house MM went all out with this house. If you need any information also with the original occupants of these Montrose Morris buildings just let me know. I have access to the census records.
Thanks, casacara. Your blog is one of my inspirations. It is very well done, and lovely to look at.
Lovely reminder of the richness in detail right here in our own neighborhoods. Thanks for getting out there, Montrose. Looking forward to seeing what else you come up with!
Any time, Amzi, any time. I’m working on a MM piece. The more I find out, the longer it’s getting, and the more neighborhoods it spans. He designed buildings in Bed Stuy, Crown Heights, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and Park Slope. The piece will probably end up taking 3 or 4 weeks, and should be interesting no matter where one lives. I’ve got to get out and take pix, and a couple of interior shots would be priceless.
BRG, that’s fine, suggestions are great, although I am limited in many ways to what I can easily research, especially on line, and can get to to photograph. Specific buildings that are not in historic districts would be hard for me to find info on, for example. I would need staff for that. I already have topics that should cover about 3 months, at once a week.