You’ve probably heard of wrought iron in relation to things like decorative hand railings or candle chandeliers, but did you realize that the process of making wrought iron has been around for centuries? The word “wrought” means “worked”, and “worked iron” was being made long before cast iron showed up in the 1400s. Originally the iron was worked manually in places called bloomeries. Later water power was used to run the process.
Wrought iron is no longer being made in the United States. The last processing plant shut down in 1969, because even though the process had been streamlined over the years, it cost more to make it than what it cost to make steel. The only way to get wrought iron today is to buy it in Europe where it’s still made, or to find old wrought iron objects and reuse the metal. Because of the lack of real wrought iron, most things you buy in a store that say they are wrought iron are actually mild steel that’s been hammered to look like the real thing.
If you’re in the market for a wrought iron piece, such as a candle chandelier (candolier), you need to check and see what the actual metal in the piece is. If you just like the “look” of wrought iron, then the steel substitutes might be acceptable. However, if you want the real thing, you’ll just have to look a little harder. You will find websites that advertise hand-forged wrought iron, but are they making the real thing from scratch, or are they hand-hammering steel bars?
If you really care what kind of metal your chandelier is made of, you’ll need to find a phone number for the company on the website in order to visit with them in person about their process. Once again, if you’re open to any kind of metal, you can find hundreds of beautiful lights for sale online.
Different Types of Wrought Iron Candle Chandeliers
One of the greatest things about wrought iron chandeliers is that they can be quite inexpensive. You can buy a basic, 6-arm candolier for under $20. Chandeliers with much more intricate work on them are still less than $100. They can be hung inside your house or out on a deck or a patio, because coated wrought iron resists rust. You’ll find different types of candle holders on the various chandeliers. Some have small candle cups and hold elegant tapers. Others have platforms with nails to sit the candles on, and still others include votive cups for easy cleanup.
You will also find a number of chandeliers that are built with electric candles. These can run into a great deal more money, but most of them are a lot more elaborate than the ones that use real candles. Prices depend a lot on the brand of candolier you want. Name brands like Quoizel and Kichler run significantly higher than the ones you can buy at little independent shops.
No matter what type of wrought iron candle chandelier you decide on, it’s sure to give you years of durable service. In fact, they are made so solidly that you may end up handing it down someday as a family heirloom.
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