Wrought iron has been used throughout history for utilitarian gear like tools and weapons, but from the 16th century on, its magical qualities increasingly were employed for decorative purposes, prominently in the grand cathedrals of Europe. The art crossed the ocean, finding its way into the hands of Creole builders, whose intricate railing and baluster designs grace commercial structures and homes in the old French Quarter of New Orleans, sometimes referred to as the city of “iron lace.”

Wrought iron no longer is commercially manufactured in the United States, where the last plant closed in 1969. But demand continues unabated for hand-fabricated objects made from its substitute: low-carbon, soft steel.