Berlin Ironwork

A style of cast iron jewelry, much suited to mourning wear, first made by the Royal Berlin Foundry in the first half of the 19th century. It came about after a drop in demand for Prussian cast-iron products inspired armorers to experiment in the production of decorative wares. The trade was boosted around 1813 when Prussians who donated their gold jewelry to the Napoleonic campaign funds were given a gift of ironwork. Fashioned from linked cast iron panels, and often featuring delicate fretwork, Berlin ironwork was frequently used for the Gothic Revival jewelry styles popular from the 1820s. It symbolized constancy and durability, and its black austerity also made it suitable for mourning jewelry.

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