Metal Casting Zone Info Blog

Posts Tagged ‘century’

Things you need to know with Your Wrought Iron Chandelier Lighting

Iron and steel are really much cheaper compared to wrought iron. But did you know that dating back to the early 13th century wrought iron has been used for gates and erecting barricade because of its durability? The castle of Westminster Abbey in London is a good example. Today they are still prevalently used for durable kitchen implements like saucepan racks, baker’s racks, wine racks. They are also used for decorative purposes like candle holders, small wrought iron chandelier, and curtain rods. And of course for gates, desk and bed bases, bar and bar stools due to their durability.

According to past accounts, when we refer to “iron” of the Western history, we are essentially referring to the wrought iron. Cast iron which was introduced in the 15th century was the competitive alternative since it was much cheaper. But because of its fragility it was solely used for small purposes and still some individuals still went for the use of wrought iron. “Wrought” as in “to wreak” is the exact meaning in the term “wrought iron”, therefore is synonymous to “worked iron” and, according to previous accounts, has been used as standard commodity by English people. Blacksmiths toil laboriously in order to “work” the iron and in between 17th to 19th century several forms and variants have been created for various purposes.

But, since wrought iron is not ductile, as in ineffective for welding or forging like steel and cast iron, its industry has slowly declined and finally in the 1974, the last surviving ironworks in Britain closed. Nowadays what we can buy like cheap Small wrought iron chandelier and other wrought iron wall decors in the furniture shop are apparently made from cast iron or mild steel. It is because these kinds of alternative materials are low-cost and less arduous to work on. The genuine wrought iron however that we can purchase is made from leftovers of “real” wrought iron. So when we order your home décor check that you know what type of material you are paying for.

Wrought iron for the use of lighting furniture is usually used as metal frameworks. For its handicraft and glamour, as well as because of its beautiful metal finish, it complements admiringly with any glass and crystal commonly picked as chandeliers and sconces. In other uses such as 17th century houses and churches, we can look at wall decors and wall frame made from wrought iron. The real wrought iron is essentially heavy and costly. One can readily purchase them in high-end retail shops and antique outlets.

Reasonably priced wrought iron chandelier however does not indicate poor quality and aesthetics. They mostly look similar but are mostly much lighter compared to the authentic wrought irons. In purchasing these kinds of home decors most significantly one has to ask the salesperson how to appropriately care for them. At times each type of metal finish needs a different kind of maintenance. To avoid metal tarnish that cannot be restored, one has to know what or what not to apply on the metal works.

This is a set of automated hand forged Wrought Iron Gates hot riveted. Manufactured by Scobie McIntosh. (Sydney) www.scobiemcintosh.com.au Gates have been hot dipped galvanised then painted with a paint to give the apperance of rust. (paint has iron filings in it, so when you apply a mild soloution of acid the paint the paint finish rusts. Then a sealer is applied to prevent rust stains from dropping onto the sandstone floor.) The motors for the gates are “FAAC” Model # 391. (they are the quietest motors that I have ever fitted) each gate weighs 180 KG.
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Cast Iron Furniture

Foundries began mass-producing cast iron furniture in the 19th Century. Designs previously reserved for the wealthy and massive English estates were for the first time available to the middle class. Many of the English cast garden furniture designs were replicated and then newer American cast iron furniture designs also became very sought after and are still popular today in the Antique Garden Furniture collector’s market.

One such example by the Coalbrookdale Company published in a catalogue from 1875, the Passion Flower design, is a good example of the level of detail and artistry developed in the production pieces. It features a trailing passion flower design, cabriole legs, and a tight hexagon pattern on the seat.It is one of my personal favorites and also a favorite among collectors. Leaves, flowers, and motifs from nature were popular themes for this period and were commonly expressed in the cast iron furniture pieces of the time. The fern was a particularly popular motif, not only in furniture but also as a theme in printed fabric of the time. Intricate patterns which were previously only possible by the skilled hands of a blacksmith could now be produced with a reasonable likeness. Because the iron was poured into a mold which could be used multiple times, the time and skill required to produce each piece was reduced considerably and therefore the cost as well.

Easily welded while hot, and corrosion resistant as well, cast iron garden furniture became very popular and remained so until the 1930′s. The popularity of cast iron furniture began to wain as other materials became available. Cast iron pieces are extremely heavy making them difficult to move from place to place. Cast Aluminum, 3 times as light as cast iron, is used by many manufacturers today for Cast Aluminum Garden Furniture to achieve the same look with less weight. Mild Steel casting, while less corrosion resistant, also developed a following, and today is the choice of many manufacturers and artisan designers specializing in Steel Metal Garden Furniture who want the versatility of the malleable nature of steel with the added availability of cast decorative elements welded artistically for added ornamentation.

Cast Iron Garden Furniture manufactured during the late 19th century and early 20th century is still very much sought after by collectors for the timeless beauty of a bygone era. Today cast iron decorative elements are used extensively in the fabrication of elaborate gates and fences. It is also used as a component in the manufacture of many traditional garden furniture styles requiring a flourish of embellishment on bended steel frames as floral and leaf designs and geometric decoration from traditional motifs to contemporary adaptations for an endless supply of imaginative results.

A thimble is a cap that fits over the finger to protect it when pushing a needle during sewing. The word, derived from Middle English, literally means “thumb shield.”

The thimble has a long history. The oldest existing thimble is Roman, found in the ruins of Pompeii. It is bronze. However, the Etruscans, who pre-date the Romans, are known to have made bronze thimbles. Primitive thimbles of bone and leather probably also existed because thimbles have been used by every known culture. These thimbles did not survive the centuries.

Through the years, thimbles have evolved in a number of ways. Both the materials used and the means of production have changed. Thimbles have gained new uses and become primarily decorative and collectible rather than merely practical.

Early thimbles had to be sturdy because homespun fabric was coarse and needles were rough and unfinished. It was difficult to push the thread through the fabric so a strong, thick bronze or iron thimble, called a “skep,” was required to prevent injury. Each thimble was shaped individually by pounding metal into a mold. The dimples in these early thimbles were applied by hand and are uneven. These primitive, shallow thimbles were dome shaped and had no rim. Some had a hole in the top to stabilize them during the casting process. It was hard to keep them on the finger and the metal bled and colored the sewer’s hand.

By the 15th century, fabric became more finely woven and needlework became more refined. Thimbles became thinner. These thimbles were usually made of brass and imported from Nuremberg, a brass-making center. Simultaneously, new methods of producing thimbles were introduced. Thimbles were made from sheet metal. The new thimbles also contained decorative motifs. The cap was separate and attached to the cylinder later. These new thimbles were taller and the top was flatter.

Another type of thimble called a “sewing ring” or tailors’ thimble was also produced during this time. It was a shallow thimble with no top. This type of thimble is used when the needle is pushed through the fabric with the side of the finger rather than the tip.

Also during this period, the lowly, utilitarian thimble began to dress up in jewels and precious metals and lead a secret life as a gift item. Wealthy women did needlework together, so it was natural for Elizabeth I to commission a jewel encrusted thimble as a gift.

During the 16th and 17th century Holland became the new seat of thimble production. However, in the late 17th century, John Lofting moved thimble production to Islington, England where the brass-working industry was already established. He began to produce thimbles in a scale unheard of before. Later, he moved his factory to Great Marlow, and used water power to double production. By the early 18th century, he was producing 2 million thimbles annually. But he too succumbed to progress and thimble making moved to Birmingham, England by 1800.

The composition of brass also improved during this period. A new formula made it more malleable and suitable for a different manufacturing process called “deep drawing” that used less metal. This lowered the cost.

In the 16th century, manufacturers began to produce thimbles in silver and other precious metals. Because a silver thimble is softer than the needle it is meant to push, the cap had to be reinforced with iron. This highly collectible type of thimble is called a “Dorcas.”

Thimbles were also made of porcelain by companies such as Spode and Wedgewood. Although considered more decorative than durable, they were used to sew on silk.

The dawn of the Victorian era marked the start of thimble collecting. Roads had improved and people began to tour. The Great Exhibition, a kind of world’s fair, was held in Hyde Park, London and attracted large crowds. A commemorative thimble was issued to mark the event. The concept of commemorative thimbles caught on with collectors. It was also at this time that advertising thimbles became popular.

In Victorian times, a silver thimble was regarded as a highly appropriate gift especially for a man to give a woman. Victoria women carried a chain-like device called a chatelaine, to which sewing items such as small scissors and a needle case could be attached. Thimbles were enclosed in a decorative thimble case that could be attached to this device as well. Sometimes the couple would remove the cap from a thimble so it could be used as a ring.

We are all aware that sewing is the primary use of the thimble. But did you know that a slightly larger thimble, usually two ounces, was used to measure spirits? And did you know that 19th century prostitutes used them to tap on their clients’ windows and Victorian schoolmistresses used them to knock recalcitrant students on the head?

Today, thimbles are still used in quilting, French hand sewing and other types of decorative needlework. As hand sewing has become less common, the practical use of thimbles has declined. Although they have become largely decorative, collectors’ interest in modern thimbles has not waned. Thimbles originally created in silver are being reproduced in pewter thanks to new processes, developed in the 1950′s that allow more detailed design. New series of thimbles are being issued to commemorate everything from football teams to Disney characters. Every tourist destination offers souvenir thimbles to tourists. Many probably don’t even know how to use them.

Thimble collecting is an extremely popular hobby worldwide. Many thimbles are reasonably priced and readily available. Men, women and children collect them. Some collectors are interested in the history of thimbles while others collect them for their decorative value. Collectors’ clubs have sprung up locally. The internet now connects collectors all over the world. Collectors’ societies have their own web pages. Collecting has also spawned a booming cottage industry in display racks, cabinets and domes.

The lowly thimble has become a star. Some admire its humble origins and some its newfound incarnations. It is one of the most versatile and practical tools ever invented, born of necessity.