After the advent of cast iron, decorative ironwork became essentially obsolete. This book takes an in-depth look at the glory days of this long lost art – seven centuries of great creative fervor. It starts out with an informative introduction, focusing mostly on fine examples from France, Germany, Italy and Spain. From there it becomes a magnificent collection of over 450 finely detailed photos depicting ironwork from all over Europe: doors, gates, railing, grilles, candelabra, chandeliers, lanterns, and much more. All illustrations are copy-right free; making this book both an in-depth look at a beautiful, but long forgotten, art as well as an important sourcebook.