Book List | Rocky Mountain Smiths

This book considers the heritage of the blacksmith-created iron grave crosses which originally were prevalent in the Black Sea area of southern Russia. Catholic immigrants brought the concept with them when they came to North Dakota during the early years of our history. The voices contained in this volume are the voices of those early immigrants and their descendants. More than that; they are voices to which all of us can relate. They speak of a deep and meaningful part of their owners' personal; community; ethnic and religious lives. They speak also to the spirit of North Dakota itself.

Blacksmiths; Cemeteries; Crosses; Folk art; Russian Germans

Publisher North Dakota Council on the. 1982. 116 pages

This collection of interviews with blacksmiths; old and young; male and female; challenges preconceived notions about practitioners of this ancient craft. Among the nine working smiths within a 100-mile radius of St. Louis; Richard Reichelt finds a wide range of personalities; backgrounds; work created; and reasons for being a blacksmith. Consider just three blacksmiths included in this book: Les Ostendorf is a farm blacksmith who sees smithing as an essential occupation; farmers depend on him to repair their machinery. L. Brent Kington; Director of the School of Art at Southern Illinois University; Carbondale; is known worldwide for rekindling an interest in blacksmithing during the past decade and a half. Roberta Ann Elliott-Francis is often faced with disbelieving customers when they discover she is the creator of the artful metalwork she sells. Other smiths who are featured: Rudolph Williams; Darold Rinedollar; Daryl Meier; Donald Asbee; Robert Schantz and Thomas Gipe. Richard Wilbers and Richard Reichelt; in nearly seventy black and white photographs; document each smith’s work.

Blacksmiths - Interviews

Publisher Southern Illinois Univ Pr (T). 1988. 177 pages

This is a catalog of the artists and their art that was featured in England's first international ironwork display at the V & A museum in London in 1982. The book starts with an overview of blacksmithing in history and today. Then the featured artists have a timeline biography and captions to describe their work. There are many black and white photographs of the pieces that were on display.

Blacksmithing - pictorial/inspirational; Blacksmithing exhibition; Blacksmiths - Biography

Publisher Olympic Marketing Corp. 1984. 100 pages

Charleston Blacksmith is a guidebook to the beautiful ironwork of Charleston createdby the historic city's best-known blacksmith; Philip Simmons. Simmons's mastery of the craft and his love for the hammer and anvil are evident in the more than one hundred photographs of his ironwork that are included in this book. Author John Michael Vlach describes the methods; motifs; and materials employed in each piece and shares some of Simmons's personal recollections from the seventy years the blacksmith has spent perfecting his craft. A map of the city is included; giving both the location and a brief descriptionof each creation by Simmons. Readers will quickly understand why Philip Simmons has been hailed a "living national treasure."

Blacksmithing - History; Blacksmiths - Biography

Publisher University of Georgia Press. 1982. 168 pages

A Heritage in Iron; by Rafael Routson 11 ¾ x 9 ½ inches; 216 pages; over 200 full-color and historical photos; cloth-bound hardcover with dust jacket. $55 (including tax and shipping) ISBN 0-9758812-0-5 Blacksmiths; mountain cowboys; timber frame artisans; and classic American craftsmanship are celebrated through the pages of A Heritage in Iron; the handsome new book featuring two ranches in southwest Colorado. With the goal of preserving the heritage of the Old West; the Centennial and Last Dollar Ranches; featured in the June 2004 issue of Architectural Digest; have been carefully restored and protected with conservation easements. These ranches will forever be devoted to traditional cattle ranching while providing open space and wildlife habitat. A Heritage In Iron documents the history of the two ranches; the restoration projects; the blacksmith work; and the individuals who forged the hinges; latches; and other ironwork installed on the ranches. Generously illustrated; the collection includes historical sepia-toned and full-color contemporary photographs; along with an assortment of the images ghosted behind the text. Meticulous mechanical drawings and graceful pencil sketches show the work that went into planning and designing the authentic barns; out buildings; and hardware of the two ranches including Dashwood House; the ranch headquarters. Author Rafael Routson speaks of these mountainous ranches and the people who call them home with the informed language of one who knows first-hand the rewards of working with the land.

Architectural ironwork; Architectural ironwork - History; Blacksmithing - pictorial/inspirational; Blacksmiths - Interviews

Publisher Double Shoe Publishing Company. 2004. 216 pages