Book List | Rocky Mountain Smiths

Weathervanes tend to play an unintrusive part in our lives; sometimes being taken for granted. English Weathervanes draws attention to their history; construction use and design. This book is compiled as an introduction to weathervanes but is equally of interest to those with a passionate curiosity for the subject. The drawings have been made from weathervanes seen in several counties and; although the total area of the country covered in the search for examples was comparatively small; more than 300 (237 are included in this book) were discovered; which indicates how numerous and varied in design they are on our town and country buildings. Many weathervanes have similar subjects for their designs; but it is interesting to note how they vary in treatment so that rarely are two exactly alike to be found. If this book succeeds in influencing members of the public to appreciate these examples of craftsmanship; and persuades those who have good weathervanes on their buildings to preserve them in these days when the use of machines and mass-production methods tend to limit the output of good hand-wrought work; it will serve a useful purpose.

Blacksmithing - History; European metalwork

Publisher Charles Clark Limited. 1953. 102 pages

Cover to cover black and white photos of contemporary (1970) German ironwork; primarily gates. All text in German.

Architectural ironwork; European metalwork

Publisher Charles Coleman. 1970. 100 pages

Cover to cover detailed illustrations of German ironwork over many centuries. All captions in German. Emphasis on hardware; latches; keys; and smaller detailed work.

Blacksmithing - History; Blacksmithing - pictorial/inspirational; European metalwork

Publisher Wasmuth Ernst Verlag. 1984. 124 pages

Cover to cover black and white photos and illustrations of design elements; details and techniques. Text and captions in German.

Architectural ironwork; Blacksmithing training and techniques; European metalwork

Publisher Wasmuth. 1981. 238 pages

This books starts with some text written in Italian; but then is filled with hundreds of inspirational color photos of Italian ironwork ranging from hardware to sculpture to architectural. All captions are in Italian.

Architectural ironwork; European metalwork; Ironwork; Ironwork - Pictorial works

Publisher Alinea Editrice. 1993. 430 pages

The Musee' Le Secq des Tournelles in Rouen contains the largest collection in the world of old wrought iron. It is housed in the former Eglise Saint-Laurent; next to the Musee des Bequx-Arts. The collection contains approximately 15;000 objects of every possible origin (mainly European); from all periods; and of all types (excluding weapons). This is a little booklet about the museum collection. Many color photographs.

Blacksmithing - pictorial/inspirational; European metalwork; Ironwork; Ironwork - Catalogs

Publisher .

The primary material; essentially consisting of church doors with ornamental; symbolic and apotropaic representations in wrough iron; is accounted for in a catalogue comprising 536 items and illustrated by 1120 photos and drawings. The catalogue is supplemented with a reasoned exposition consisting of: a regional survey of Swedish ironwork; a comparison with ironwork from the rest of Europe; an iconographic chapter which examines the extent to which the position of the ironwork on a door has influenced the choice of motifs; an analysis of the legal aspects - particularly regarding right of asylum - of the ringhandle; an illustration of the importance of material and technique in the absolutely unique development of wrought-iron forms; a survey of the carpentry construction of ironed doors; and; finally ; a chapter on chronology. The reasoned passages are illustrated by 380 photos and drawings. The majority of Volume I is text; with quite a few photos and illustrations. Volume II contains many more photographs.

European metalwork; Ironwork; Ironwork; Medieval

Publisher Almqvist & Wiksell Internat. 1988. 615 pages