August 7, 201213 yr I was walking around NYC today and I noticed this amazing forged angle iron and plate support bracket holding up the roadway where Park av goes around Grand central station. There were at least 8 of these and they were huge. I quite sure they were constructed before wide spread use of electric welding. In my opinion these supports are a brilliant marriage of industrial and craft methods. The skill that went into the forging of the angle details is impressive. I suspect there was some forge welding involved. Few of us even the best smiths working would be able to equal the quality and finish of this work. The other thing that comes to mind is this is not really traditional work it is an innovative use of what were at the time new materials. Its where best of structural steel meets the best of ornamental iron. I wish people still built and designed work like this.
August 7, 201213 yr Looks kinda like industrial Art Nouveau.... B) ....about how far apart were the outside scrolls?
August 7, 201213 yr Love it. Reminds me of Paris under Eiffel's Tower near the Siene river. The Blacksmiths were like gods... I haven't done Germany yet but the French work is by far my favorite.
August 7, 201213 yr Almost forgot about one of my most favorite 'chance' encounters with NYC ironwork: I took a date there in the 90's and after dancing all night and carousing around we sat down on a bench. I turned my head and was blown away, immediately recognizing some famous grilles from Jack Andrew's books. It was then I saw my date's lips move and I heard not a word, too awestruck to respond. Looking up closely at Sam's slit and drifted pass-throughs boggled the mind. I think the material was at least 2" round, maybe greater. A masterpiece.
August 7, 201213 yr That is some outstanding design and workmanship in those brackets. Gas welding was used a lot before electric welding, I suspect that there may have been gas welding in those brackets. That is not to take anything away from them.
August 7, 201213 yr Did you look on the backside of those grills? Some of them were cut, the cross pieces inserted and then hammered shut.
August 7, 201213 yr there is a bunch of Samuel Yellin work in NYC I make it a point to study a different piece each time I go up. Thanks for posting
August 7, 201213 yr Author That is some outstanding design and workmanship in those brackets. Gas welding was used a lot before electric welding, I suspect that there may have been gas welding in those brackets. That is not to take anything away from them. The iron work dates to pre1913 was there much gas welding going on then?
August 8, 201213 yr The iron work dates to pre1913 was there much gas welding going on then? A lot... Charles Picard invented the acetylene blowpipe in 1901. The technique of dissolving the gas in acetone dates to G. Claude & A. Hess circa 1895-1897. Nils G. Dalen perfected a tank with porous material shortly after and invented an improved blowpipe in 1905. According to my 1943 edition of Oxy-Acetylene Handbook oxy-acetylene welding was in common use by 1906.
August 8, 201213 yr Edgar Brandt used a lot of gas welding in his work. He was in his 30s in that time. That is one of the things I am basing my comment on. According to Miller's website the low pressure acetylene welding torch was invented in 1900. Maybe this was all forge welded but I do question how some of those welds could be forge welded without extensive use of special dies which may be how they were done. But I believe there was less reluctance to using new technologies back due to it being "cheating". If the city came to you and asked you to reproduce one of these brackets tomorrow you would use a modern welder, angle grinders and possibly sub out laser or waterjet cutting for the tracery work. Why would a businessman of that era do any less. As well New York was very much a manufacturing center and a center of innovation during that era. Where else would the latest equipment be used. I really admire a lot of the architecture and industrial design from this era. There was decoration added to simple things like bridge brackets and industrial railings where a simple bracket would do. Machinery from that era through to the 30s has simple decoration and beautiful curves and round corners as opposed to modern square boxes even in cast machinery where the curves and round corners would actually be stronger.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.