Name/Title
Towel, Wallhanging: Wrought Iron U215Description
A three-color silkscreen print on natural linen depicting a young blacksmith, his workshop, and finished wrought iron hardware and kitchenware.
At the base of the composition, the title, “EARLY AMERICAN WROUGHT IRON” is painted on an oval retail sign featuring a strap hinge and a horse shoe, suggesting the breadth of work the blacksmith can do. The sign hangs from two chains attached to the arched lever of the blacksmith’s bellows, a key tool in smithing. The blacksmith stands at an anvil, hammering a red hot piece of iron held in place with tongs.
Above, an assortment of the blacksmith’s products hang from a wooden shelf and a fireplace crane: wrought iron architectural hardware, kitchen tools and lighting, showing the blacksmith’s versatility.
A matching tile was also produced. These items were available singly or in matched gift sets; see images.
This print appears in the brochure “Country Prints by Robert Darr Wert and Neighbors”, c.1963; see images.
This towel/wallhanging appears on a c.1965 promotional postcard for Bromley & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts, Country Prints’ New England wholesale representative to the gift trade.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Robert Darr WertRole
ArtistManufacturer
Country PrintsDate made
circa 1962Time Period
20th CenturyPlace
Location
Gill MA.Continent
North AmericaInscription/Signature/Marks
“wert COUNTRY PRINTS”, lower left corner, and “by hand on pure Linen”, lower right corner.Dimensions
Height
30-1/2 inWidth
16-3/4 inMaterial
Unbleached Linen, Textile InkColor
Brick Red, Umber, Black
