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Photos by David B. Moore
The large size and scale of this 19th-century French window grille from Relics Architectural Home & Garden made it suitable for use as a chandelier. |
History, Highlights and Helpful Hints
Since ancient times, iron has been prized for its strength and used for protection. Soon after man first figured out how to work with the dark meteoric metal, he fashioned it into locks and hinges. When he learned that iron could be bent into almost any shape and made lighter by crafting open spaces in its design, iron became the preferred medium in which the blacksmith-artist created fences, gates and grilles.
Iron protected windows from damage and intrusion. Grilles could screen or frame a view, filter light and air, and be appreciated inside or out, which made them important architectural elements. Nick Colamartini of Urban Southwest in Phoenix points out, “In warmer climates they were combined with shutters to provide privacy and safety while opening up the house to sunshine and breezes.”
Sometimes window grilles performed multiple duties. Linda Van Lith of Tierra Del Lagarto in Scottsdale relates, “The first window grilles took hold where tradition dictated that women should be isolated. One of the early uses of decorative grillwork was to allow the seclusion of a harem without creating a prison-like ambience.”
While Romans and Asians, and Egyptians and other Middle Eastern folk were working iron, Susan and Michael Southworth, the authors of
Ornamental Ironwork (D.R. Godine, 1978), say it didn’t reach its peak as an architectural material in Europe until the 18th century. From there, it came to the New World. By the mid-1800s, it was embellishing churches, public buildings and fine homes in styles that varied from simple to elaborately lace-like. Victorian and Spanish Revival styles prevailed in America. Whether wrought on an anvil or cast in a mold, variants of scrolls, spears, linked circles, diamond shapes, and C- and S-curves often were painted or gilded to retard rust.
By the 20th century, iron was mass-produced. According to Marian Campbell, author of
Decorative Ironwork (Harry N. Abrams, 1997), the blacksmith as an artist went the way of the dinosaur, which is why intricate antique ironwork is sought after today. Sharron Saffert, who buys salvaged iron for the On the Veranda showroom in Phoenix, observes that window grilles are a particularly versatile source of it. “They are large enough to display a pattern but small enough to be used in a variety of adaptations,” she explains.
Todd Zillweger of Relics Architectural Home & Garden in Phoenix adds that antique iron is making a strong resurgence in design. “The range of applications is limited only by your imagination,” he asserts.
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| This towel holder from Relics was created from a rectangular 19th-century French window grille with the addition of side braces, a thick wooden shelf and towel bar. |
WHAT TO CONSIDERUse: Window grilles come in all sizes and shapes. A boxed grille—which is set out from the window opening—can easily be adapted for some uses; others require a flat grate. A different piece will work better for a fire screen than for the base of a console, for example.
Age: When the era of machines ushered in new materials, “one-of-a-kind” became a thing of the past. To be sure a piece is old, check for heavy-gauge metal with patina or worn paint. “Texture and weathering confirm age,” says Nancy Ruben of The Embellished House in Scottsdale.
Design: “Look for unique design,” suggests Nick Colamartini of Urban Southwest in Phoenix. “Mass-produced iron has few unusual ornamental patterns.” Craftsmanship, he adds, is also evident in the way pieces are joined together. Many small connections handmade with rivets, pins, “collars” (pieces of metal that wrap around and connect in back), or hammered welds indicate age. Avoid obviously unfinished welding, where you can see lumps of the material that was used to join pieces together.
Labor: Marc Galante of Mediterránia in Scottsdale suggests that when selecting antiques, the buyer consider how long it took to make the pieces. “Fine details can only be done by hand,” he says.
Condition: Make sure that all parts are intact and structurally sound, advise buyers of old ironwork. If painted, the original paint should be unretouched. Its flaked quality adds to the value. Avoid rust and obvious repairs.
Cost: Check similar pieces at reputable dealers, architectural salvage yards and on the Web; also seek out recent auction prices in catalogs or online. Remember that a grille’s value changes when redesigned for a new use.
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Clockwise from top left: The 150-year-old iron grille removed from a small window in Belgium gives this table from Relics a large presence • Urban Southwest transformed this mid-19th-century patinaed grille from North Africa into a curlicued fire screen with the addition of feet, a frame and wire mesh. • This unmodified early-20th-century Indian grille from Tierra Del Lagarto is typical of how decorative iron was being used in British Colonial homes to screen a view from outside while allowing fresh air to be able to circulate, according to Tierra Del Lagarto owner Linda Van Lith • Crafted sometime in the last century, this Indian teak-framed cast-iron piece likely guarded the lower part of a window, says Van Lith. A pair of them could be made into an attractive headboard.
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WHERE TO FIND THEMThe retail stores mentioned in this article regularly carry antique iron window grilles, although their stock varies with time. These and other outlets are listed below. In addition, architectural salvage dealers may have them.
Antiquities, 7401 E. Redfield Road, Scottsdale, (480) 556-0303
Beau Mélange, 7033 E. First Ave., Scottsdale, (480) 994-7379
The Embellished House, 7121 E. Sahuaro Drive, Suite E, Scottsdale, (480) 991-2610; after Sept. 1, the business will be located at 10802 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
Mediterránia, 15816 N. Greenway-Hayden Loop, Suite 100, Scottsdale, (480) 991-2646
On the Veranda, 4748 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, (602) 955-8690
Relics Architectural Home & Garden, 839 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, (602) 265-7354
Tierra Del Lagarto, 15330 N. Hayden Road, Suite 125, Scottsdale, (480) 609-1289
Trouvé, 4225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, (602) 778-9777
Urban Southwest, 1016 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, (602) 266-3311
Olde Good Things, oldegoodthings.com
urban remains, llc, urbanremains-chicago.com
Southern Accents Architectural Antiques Inc., antiques-architectural.com/ironwork