The blending of durability with elegance has made wrought iron a part of the daily lives of commoner and king down through the centuries.

Wrought iron graced the homes of ancient Rome, and the intricate wrought iron railings of Westminster Abbey date from the thirteenth century. The ornate Baroque style, imported from France, became positively de rigueur in British country houses of the early eighteenth century.

But our fondness for wrought iron is hardly surprising. In fact, it shows our good sense. To begin with, it is eminently practical. Not only is iron so strong and durable as to be child-proof, but also, it will endure long beyond the time when that child will have children of her own.

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And yet, wrought iron has been used to create works of truly startling intricacy and grace. For example, the castle gates and palatial ornamentation of such artists as Robert Bakewell and the Davies Brothers inspire awe to this day.

Perhaps that is why early blacksmiths were thought of as sorcerers with magical powers. It was even believed that they had an affinity with the gods, especially the powerful Hephaestus, or Vulcan, husband of the lovely Aphrodite (Venus). It seems only appropriate, since this divine couple, like wrought iron itself, represents a marriage of strength with beauty.

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As a rather comical side note (although perhaps not so comical to the blacksmith of that era), during the Middle Ages, blacksmithing was feared as an "enchanting and satanic art," the practice of which could be punishable by death.

Fortunately, the art of wrought iron survived nonetheless. By the time of the Renaissance (in the 15th and 16 centuries), the blacksmith was considered to be on a par with the artists and architects of the period. In the 1700s, refinements in the art led to such elaborate creations of stunning complexity and beauty that the French Master Blacksmith, Jean Tijou, was knighted for his work by William III.

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Even so, another obstacle soon appeared on the horizon. This time, it was not the fear of progress, but rather progress itself that threatened the ancient art.

With the coming of the Industrial Age and mass production,
finely-crafted wrought iron shaped by hammer and anvil gave way to cast iron pieces made from mild steel, which not only lacks the delicacy of wrought iron, but also often showcases this comparative crudity with obvious welding at the joints and early rusting due to its greater tendency to corrosion.

Of course, accommodation must be made to the availability of materials. The earliest wrought iron pieces were forged from what is known as "charcoal iron," the extremely limited supply of which would make the delights of wrought iron unavailable to most of us living today. However, the very progress that created the threat also created the solution.
Thanks to England's Henry Cort, who invented the process in the 1780s, we now have puddled iron, which, with its similar properties, guarantees the continuing beauty and durability of twenty-first century wrought iron craftsmanship. Or should we now call it "craftspersonship"?

In any event, while there are not many of us who would choose to commission a castle gate, the enduring pleasure of a lacy chandelier, sinuous table base or graceful bookcase remain available to us today, be we commoner or king. And, inspired by Hephaestus, they will surely remain of service in our homes for generations to come.

Ensure the furniture is completely dry as any moisture on it will be trapped within the wood and may cause black mildew spots to appear after the furniture has been oiled. It may take up to 48 hours for your furniture to try completely after it has rained.

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