HandForged Ironmongery Articles

The Victorian era lacks a definitive style. Britain was the world’s most powerful nation with an empire to match and this influenced designers. This was the era of grand public works and the railways, public buildings even sewers were all given architectural treatments that attempted to enhance their importance.

The Victorians imitated and borrowed heavily from other styles but there are still two that would immediately be thought of as Victorian and they are at opposite ends of the design spectrum. The first is the new Gothic, based loosely on medieval ecclesiastical architecture and many public and private buildings were given the Gothic treatment. Interiors featured extensive panelling and ornamentation, reflecting the exterior design. Elsewhere, Victorian furniture could be bulky and heavily upholstered and often featured clumsily ornate oriental or empire influences.

Reacting against the prevailing dark, sombre and industrial designs, the Arts and Crafts Movement founded in the 1860s by William Morris, sought a return to traditional artisan crafts and values. They favoured hand-made items with less ornamentation and they valued utility over form. For instance they would use functional black iron door furniture over ornate brass. Unfortunately the items proved well beyond the pocket of the common man but the movement left a lasting design legacy.

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Powder coating is a modern painting process whereby dry powdered paint is applied to a bare metal object and baked on in a high-temperature oven. It’s a common method of finishing everyday objects and is increasingly being offered as a finishing option for hand-forged ironmongery.

Application of the powder is by spray gun. There are two major methods of powder coating but they both work along the same principles. As the fine powder, usually epoxy or polyester, leaves the gun it becomes electrostatically charged and sticks to the item being sprayed, giving a very even covering. It is then cured in an oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for around 10 minutes causing the powder to melt and form an even coating.

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The Regency period is the last part of the Georgian era between 1811 and 1830, when George IV was first Regent, during the mental incapacity of his father, King George III, then monarch after the King’s death. Architecturally it used elements of the earlier Georgian styles but often on a more grandiose scale, witness the terraces at Bath and Regent’s Park. As foreign travel increased alongside Britain’s influence in the world, interior design borrowed extensively from other cultures, most obviously from Egypt, the Indian sub-continent and the far east. More ambitious furniture designs featured glorious inlays of exotic woods and metal with fine lacquer work. Attention to detail but also an appreciation of function as well as form was paramount.

Probably the most familiar example of all the Regency influences combining in one place is The Royal Pavilion at Brighton. It was originally a modest farmhouse but was subsequently remodelled into a palace by the prince of Regency architects, John Nash. As well as the more common Georgian characteristics of symmetry and proportion, its eastern influences are plain to see with the domes and minarets redolent of the Taj Mahal. Inside, the lavish decoration on almost all the furniture whether decorative or functional incorporated further Indian, Oriental and Islamic motifs. It was at once a counter to the more restrained Regency style but also the best example of the excesses typical of its most famous sponsor.

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The Shakers were a religious sect evolving from the English Quaker movement founded by Mother Ann Lee in late 18th century Manchester, England. Following persecution she emigrated to America with some of her followers and founded the first Shaker village in 1774.

They believed in simplicity in all things and that if something was well made it was in itself, an act of worship. One of their popular sayings was “beauty rests on utility”. They eschewed ostentation and Shaker buildings, furniture and tools are all characterised by clean lines and lack of decoration. They didn’t believe in clutter in any form; a typical Shaker room would feature a peg rail running around it just above head height. Upon this, anything that could be hung, would be including cupboards and chairs - keeping it out of the way and making the floor easy to keep clean. Again avoiding clutter, all door handles in the room would be expected to line up.

Their industry was legendary and they are responsible for inventing some commonplace every-day items such as the rotary harrow, the screw propeller and the circular saw. The Shaker influence can be seen in many contemporary designs where graceful, uncluttered elegance complements the pure functional quality of the item.

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