Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-02
VENETIAN IRON WORK.
1t Is Becoming Popular for Country
House Decoration.

House Decoration.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Venetian iron work is becoming popular
again for the decoration of the country
house, and many beautiful designs. with
and without the colored glass. are made in
the way of brackets, stands. lamps, match
holders and flower holders.
The latest in this line. however is the
homemade article A kit of tools. nicely
put up in q box, and stripes of the thin
iron used for the work, come already pre-
pared for the amateur, and many women
make their own brackets and bric-a-brac.
The strips of fiat iron come in somewhat
convenient sizes, and 1t is easily bent into
the curves and angles necessary for max
ing lamps and brackets. The tools con-
sist chiefly of small riveting hammer,
steel-pointed borer or drill, package of
copper tacks, strong nippers, a steel hle
and pair of ordinary pfnchers.
With these tools and material the WORKER
selects a model. The simplest thing Is an
ordinary fancy bracket to be attached 10
the wall for hanging lamp or any article
On. Strips of the strong fiat iron are fas-
tened together as the skeleton work. and
then the fancy work is filed in with the
wire and thin strips of iron.
The three corners Of the bracket are fas-
tened together by the copper tacks. A hole
is punched through the two pieces of iron.
and the copper tack driven through them
Then with the nipperS the point of the tack
is cut off, and, by placing 1t on n hard sub
stance, a few sharp blows with the ham
mer on the head of the tack will rivet :he
iron securely together.
The fancy wire can be passed through
holes made in the strips Of iron, or riveted
on the same as described for the frame
work.
Another simple article is plant stand.
Four legs twisted into the form of scrolls
should be made separately. laying one upon
another until they are exactly alike. Then
form two strong bands Of the iron work
just large enough to hold the vase, tub OR
other flower receptacle. Rivet them to the
top of the scroll-fike legs, and fasten the
legs together at the widest end of the
curve.
For hanging basket for running plants
the main thing is to form the stout frame
work, just large enough to hold the glass
or china tub or basket Then the decora-
ton can be made to suit, simple or elab-
crate.
The Method is Simple.
The method of making the decorations
for q round article Is to spread them out
in straight line at first and then gently
bend them into position. The whole pie
can be riveted together in one straight
| figure before it is ecessary to curve them,
| ad then two or three rivets will complete
| the article. A fancy Venetian iron holder
| can be fastened into the piazza ceiling, and
| the hanging basket attached to 1t by three
| pieces of fine wire
| Glass and metal holders can be support ed
| by the iron work as we'll as china and
| wood. Colored glass lamps are easily made
| for gas or Oil. Stands and center pieces
| for the piazza are made in elaborate styles
| out of the iron work. and they appear more
ornamental than the wooden or bamboo
ores. Their cost, if made at home, is only q
tri7e more than the simple stands bought
| at the furniture stores.
! 1t requires no particular skill to work
| the Venetian ironware into handsome or
| naments. All that one has to do Is to fol
| low the designs, and become accustomed
to the work of riveting the pieces together
| This is the hardest part of the work, but
| considerable skill Is soon acquired by ar
| amateur.