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Dutch ironwork
October 24, 2012
4:58 am
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Ken Albert
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I was wandering around Amsterdam a little while ago and stumbled on some pretty interesting work. Much of it was railings on bridges, but the most interesting stuff was part of the Scheepvaarthuis, built in 1912 as headquarters for several shipping companies. The companies had some serious assets, because everything about the place was designed and built, never mind the expense. A little web research got me the shop name : HJ Winkelman and Van der Bijl. Didn't find much information about other works, just that the shop had about 30 employees into the 20's. I know nothing about Dutch iron work, but after seeing this, I would like to learn what I can. If anyone can steer me in the right direction, I would appreciate it.
Here are a couple of photos.

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October 24, 2012
5:55 am
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Ries
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there is virtually nothing written in english about dutch ironwork.
Which is sad, because there is some amazing stuff there, particularly the post 1900 stuff you are referring to.

The Scheepvaarthuis is truly amazing, and then, there are something like 50 bridges over the canals with great ironwork.

The only book I have been able to find with any pictures or descriptions of this is a book called "The Amsterdam School", which is the general name for the style of Art Deco architecture in Amsterdam that a lot of this metalwork is found on. Rick Smith at SIU turned me on to the book, and he has a few hundred pictures he took of ironwork there.

A lot of the ironwork was commissioned by this guy- Piet Kramer-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet_Kramer

If you walk around Amsterdam, and you notice the railings on the canal bridges, they are incredible.

They were very tooled up- this is industrial blacksmithing, with lots of equipment involved- big power hammers, big crews making the stuff- it was not solo work. I noticed a lot of things like 2" square twisted, huge upsets and shape changes that would require pretty advanced hammer and tooling knowledge.

As in many other cities, the architects get all the credit, and the actual blacksmiths are forgotten.

this one is amazing-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.....ug_004.JPG

October 24, 2012
2:59 pm
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Ken Albert
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Thanks for the info, Ries. The "Amsterdam Style" is a pretty distinctive twist on the Art Deco you see in Belgium or France. Some of this stuff reminds me of Mazzucotelli a little. I see what you mean about the heavy tooling. Beyond that, most of it is mechanical connections, but if some fabrication made sense to serve a design purpose difficult to arrive at otherwise, that's the way they went.
Here are a couple of bridge railings and other pieces.

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October 25, 2012
3:22 am
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Larry L
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very cool stuff!

Whatever you are, be a good one.
Abraham Lincoln

October 25, 2012
4:02 am
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Ries
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I was looking on the interwebs- check out this amazing little tidbit-
amsterdam boerenweteringbrug 406 03 1927 kramer pl (v hilligaertstr)Image Enlarger


and this one-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/k.....424003625/

here is a detail of the shipping house fence-
ScheepvaarthuisImage Enlarger

this one looks cast, but its not- its all forged. check out the squishiness of some of the big stuff- its like 3" x 4" bar.
Muzenbrug (brug 420)Image Enlarger

its incredible how much of this stuff there is in Amsterdam- its everywhere.

October 25, 2012
4:53 am
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Scott Rash
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Wow! I thought I knew why I want to visit Amsterdam:smoke:...turns out this is a better reason! Seems like there are things to be learned there. And I really like how organic some of the work is. Thanks Ken and Ries for sharing!

October 25, 2012
5:18 pm
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Ken Albert
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Just a couple more photos to show that some more delicate, but equally imaginative stuff is part of the Scheepvaarthuis work...and bridge railings. I don't know if any of the railing work is from the same shop, but I did read the Winkelman and Van der Bijl shop did some of the work on the hundreds of bridges in Amsterdam. Maybe someone will go on an expedition. Bound to be a book there. By the way, there are a couple of books on Amazon, one used at $155, called "The Amsterdam School" that Ries mentioned. Might deserve a place in our library.

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October 25, 2012
11:26 pm
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Mike B
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I was lucky enough to see Jonathan Nedbor demonstrate at Quad State. He forges Dutch colonial hardware, and talked about trips he's made to Holland. Maybe you could get in touch with him (or better yet, find a way to get to one of his demonstrations).

October 25, 2012
11:31 pm
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Ken Albert
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Thanks for that information, Mike. I will try to get in touch.

October 26, 2012
3:35 pm
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Rob F
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Ries;16450 wrote: The only book I have been able to find with any pictures or descriptions of this is a book called "The Amsterdam School", which is the general name for the style of Art Deco architecture in Amsterdam that a lot of this metalwork is found on. Rick Smith at SIU turned me on to the book, and he has a few hundred pictures he took of ironwork there.

Ries, I found two separate books with this title- can you give some more info?
Thank you

October 26, 2012
4:15 pm
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Ries
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I will have to dig around and find that book. I have a few thousand books here, in a few different locations, and I dont think that one is in the logical place- Ironwork. I think it might be in the house, in the architecture section.
The one I have is a paperback, and it only has a few pictures of ironwork- its about the entire school of architecture and design.
But it its the only book I have been able to find that has any pictures at all.

Somebody needs to write one- go over there, spend a few weeks taking pictures, do some research, and put out a book.

October 26, 2012
6:37 pm
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Ries
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Ok, the book I have is The Amsterdam School, by Maristell Casciato. I paid 20 bucks for it.
It has a dozen or two small, black and white pictures of ironwork, but the vast majority of the book is about architecture.

the idea that this book costs $150- $300 on amazon is just crazy.

October 26, 2012
8:11 pm
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Rob F
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Thanks Ries,
I dont know if its the same author but the ones I saw online were hardcover but I dont think it justifies $100+ more money.
Rob

October 26, 2012
9:13 pm
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Rob F
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Here is a link to the one I found, down at the bottom of the page is a great description of what the amsterdam school was.

Rob

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