Decorative Antique Ironwork

Drawn from a rare 1924 source by a noted scholar, over 4,500 outstanding examples of antique ironwork run the gamut from door knockers and grilles to jewelry and religious symbols.

Drawn from a rare 1924 source by a noted scholar, over 4,500 outstanding examples of antique ironwork run the gamut from door knockers and grilles to jewelry and religious symbols.

This magnificently illustrated volume showcases elegant examples of ironwork designs by five centuries of Italian masters. Spanning the fourteenth through the eighteenth centuries, the collection encompasses both simple and elaborate ornaments for doors, windows, gates, balcony and staircase railings, and other architectural features. A remarkable variety of motifs are depicted--from gracefully executed florals and foliated elements, to exquisite swirls and curls, and striking portrayals of mythical beasts. A dazzling treasury of ornamental ironwork, this archive of royalty-free motifs will delight lovers of antiques, commercial artists, and anyone intrigued by decorative flourishes from the past.

Over 1,500 attractive black-and-white illustrations — drawn from balconies, gates, grilles, stair railings, and elsewhere — incorporate floral and foliate designs, human and animal figures, musical motifs, heraldic crests, mythological figures, geometrics, more.

Forty plates of meticulously rendered hinges, grilles, railings, latches, door knockers, and more — selected from English chapels, tombs, castles, and other structures — span more than 600 years of metalworking history.

From an exceptional collection of the finest examples of German ironwork comes this rich source of royalty-free images for artists and craftspeople. More than 270 illustrations depict a broad variety of magnificent ironworks from the city of Düsseldorf, with finely rendered examples of the craft ranging from elaborate castle gates to ornate weather vanes. Balustrades, screens, balcony railings, and other decorative ironworks abound in this handsome compilation. Derived from a rare, turn-of-the-century portfolio, these splendid designs offer uncommon glimpses of a rich array of motifs that are sure to inspire and delight designers, architecture enthusiasts, antique lovers, and devotees of vintage ironwork.