Book excerpt: This classic work documents the many uses and ingenious adaptations of wrought iron in architecture, with numerous examples from the fourteenth century through the twentieth centuries. Gerald Geerlings' extensive introduction details the properties of wrought iron; its textures; tools and terms of the trade; architectural applications, design, motifs, and ornamentation; economic considerations; finishing; and more. The author illuminates the history of wrought iron with carefully researched surveys of the craft in several countries, including Italy, Spain, England, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, and America. Nearly 400 illustrations, including 73 clear drawings and 307 sharply focused photographs of gates, railings, screens, lighting fixtures, bannisters, balconies, door knockers, and other objects, chronicle the evolution of wrought iron as both a structural and decorative material. Special attention is devoted to early-twentieth-century developments and applications of this highly useful metal.