Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-07-19
WROUGHT IRON
! IS BEAUTIFIER
One of Most Ancient Arts
Finds Way To Valley
From Egypt, Spain

Hand wrought ornamental iron Is
one Of the really old a~rtcrafts
which has survived this highly
concentrated machine age. And In
Brownsville and the Lower Valley
this season many examples Of the
hand work may be seen. Almost
every new home and garden Is
adding a distinctive touch OF the
old-new iron.
The popular Spanish style OF ar
chitecture * appropriate 70 this
southern border section finds pro-
per complement in a balcony, a
patio gate, a porch lantern, a win
dow grill or q weather ane What
ever the archite1p or builder de-
sirss, may be had here in Browns
vile.
A few Of the old buildings in this
city show traces OF the cast iron
decorations which were In fashion
several decades ago. But they can
In no manner compare with hand
wrought iron accessories TO the
modern homes.
Clyde A. Thorpe OF the Interna-
tional Iron Works. an authority on
this interesting art Of ornamental
iron. tells us that this industry Is
not by any means new. Although
this type Of home decoration Is
exceedingly fashionable. it really
found its origin In Damascus many
years before the birth Of Christ,
Mr.. Thorpe has made an exhaus-
tive study Of the history Of crna-
mental iron and last year deliver
ed a series Of lectures on differ
emit phases of his work from radio
station KWWG.
II should be interesting to own
\ ers as well as 70 admirers Of iron
$pieces to know that the original
4 ornamental hand wrought iron was
used exclusively for the decoration
of the famous Damascus sword
handles. Later the industry was
taken up by the Egyptians who
made tools and decorations Tor
their gardens from the black ron
No doubt the yards and patios OF
Brownsville today have something
in common with the gardens q
Pharaoh centuries ago.
The Egyptians did not follow
their new art for long. And II was
not until the fourth century that
the Spaniards took up the work
and readily became the most tall
ented and noted artists the world
has ever known. The Spaniards
still hold this undisputed title.
Thus we see how this industrial
art has found is wav r. Mexico
and the American border. . section
which speaks Of Old Spain IN
more ways than language and us
toms.
Brownsville l. proud OF having 2
thriving industry which combines
beauty. history and expert work
manship as does the making OF
ornamental iron. the hand wrought
variety. Mr.. Thorpe Is one Of the
skilled opponents az this craft
His work adorns the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Lawrence Brady IN Los
Ebanos. Here the balconies. dou-
BILE gates. and screen door grill
have been effectively used 70 n
hanca the beauty Of the home and
EHfUt0. MI tiU MIS- - " AfA[A
have used 70 an advantage some
balconies, a stair rail and patio
gate OF the hand made iron in the
building on their new home In Bay
view. w. u Van Siclen was the
designer for these pieces.
The appearance of chimney iron
in the form Of . silhouette II the
Santa Maria ship Is new this sea-
son. Mr. and Mrs Fay Rockwell
chose this adornment. grills and
lamps 70 add 70 the beauty OF their
yellow stucco home in Los Ebanos.
A few weather n are 70 be
seen. one surmounts the roof Of
MFR. and Mrs r Espinal HAMMERS
home in Riverside It's rooster de-
sign was made by Manuel Vargas
Of Mexico but n also reminds us
Of the numerous weather vanes 50
typical in the New England states.
Perhaps II is because Mr.. Thorpe
who made this particular weather
vane came from New England him.
self. He has travelled throughout
the United States. in Mexico. and
in Canada. But now Mr.. Thorpe
is q resident OF Brownsville and his
work in the Identification of homes
and gardens here Is fast being re-
spgrized.