Samuel Yellin, Metalworker

Review by Jim McCarty, editor of the Anvil's Ring TOP

This is a new release of one of the two books that have made Jack Andrews a household name in the blacksmithing community. (The other is the "New Edge of the Anvil.") While this book has been around for some time now the new release offers the title in a more affordable paperbound cover. Samuel Yellin is the king of the blacksmiths and a true inspiration to virtually anyone who has ever swung a hammer. at piece of hot steel. His accomplishments as a metal artist are thing to be grasped at and never achieved by the mere mortal. Andrews does and excellent job of capturing the spirit of this man who organized teams of immigrant blacksmiths into a shop in Philadelphia spread ironwork across the country. In this work you will learn the history that is the Yellin legacy, including the formative years before he was a household name. A time line gives important dates in his history. Of special interest are the historic photos of Yellin and those under his employ. Even better are the many pages of his work, each piece speaking volumes on its own. There are gates, railings, keys, locks, fireplace sets, lighting devices, whimsical creatures and more.
Now that Andrews has brought this book back at less that $20, there are not excuses for not having it in your library. Just owning this book may make you a better blacksmith! Get one before the are all gone.

Craftmanship TOP

Yellin spoke frequently to architectural and art groups on the subject of craftsmanship. The following lecture, "Design and Craftsmanship," was given before the Architectural Club of Chicago, in Chicago, on March 9, 1926. This lecture, along with several others, was typed and placed on file in the office; most of these talks were titled "Craftsmanship." Of his lectures this one mentions the full range of topics that he usually discussed.

The lectures usually ended with a show of "lantern slides." These were 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 glass mounted slides of the Yellin wrought ironwork, as well as antique and contemporary metalwork.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a great pleasure for me to be here and to have the opportunity of speaking to you and with you on the subject of "Design and Craftsmanship" and in particular about the noble material "wrought iron." I hope you will accept what I have to say in the right spirit and if I do put some things before you rather strongly, nevertheless they are very true, and I am prepared to prove the facts.

It is unfortunate that the real nature of craftsmanship, the use of materials in a way appropriate to their nature - for ends to which they are well adapted - is little understood today.

To begin with, let us ask ourselves this question: "What is craftsmanship?" Is it to make work by inventive and tricky methods in original designs that will make the public marvel at the workman's cleverness because they cannot see how it was done? Or is craftsmanship working out good designs in the proper material and in the honest way?

I think it is of the utmost importance for architects and art lovers who are the teachers of art in general, to insist and demand proper designs for the various materials and see that they are correctly executed. This is the only way the arts can be worthy of their names.

I and that the public is becoming more and more interested in good work in various lines of art. If a man is truly an artist, he must impose on an unwilling public standards of perfection to which it is not accustomed.

If architects are really interested in obtaining the best decorative metalwork (which I call the salt and pepper of architecture), it will be necessary for them to change their methods of procuring same. The most important thing to do is to make the question of bids and competition as the least essential, and thereby eliminate the writing of unnecessary and useless specifications. Very often architects tell me that they have to do this because their clients insist. But this is where the architect must perform his real duty and cultivate the client's mind and eye so that he will learn to be discriminating and appreciative of beauty. Thereby he will learn to accept the better work, even though the cost might be greater, or the designs will have to be simplified to meet the set allowance. I have proven this to many architects in connection with my work, and I feel that others can do likewise.

Sometimes architects spend a good deal of time and money in making models in clay for ironwork. Iron cannot be modeled in clay and it would be much better and safer to spend that amount of money on the actual work. Metalwork can only be suggested on paper, but the actual life, character and beauty depends upon its making. The very best way of working is to make sketches in the actual iron on the anvil and let them serve as the inspiration and character of the work contemplated. Then the drawing can be made. This is the method I use and it has always been satisfactory. Besides it not only gives me exercise, but also puts blisters on my hands.

There is only one way to make good decorative ironwork and that is with the hammer at the anviI, for in the heat of creation and under the spell of the hammer, the whole conception of a composition is often transformed.

The relations between architects and craftsmen should be much closer than they are at present. But I do feel that it is the architect who can make them so. He can always be sure of a welcome to the craftsman's shop. Visit his shop and watch the different stages and methods in the production of decorative metal work. Work with him and learn from him. Gain a greater interest in the work he is doing.

Very often I am asked by architects how work should be specified. I always tell them, "Specify that work should be done in the best possible manner." There is no other form of specification that the true craftsman understands. It has been said to me that all my workers must be artists, but many are no different from other ironworkers, at least when they first come to my shop. But I always insist that all the work which leaves my shop should be honestly and beautifully executed.

It is most important that a piece of work shall be harmonious from every point of view. I mean that, besides being a part of its surroundings, it must harmonize within itself.

I am a staunch advocate of tradition in the matter of design. I think that we should follow the lead of the past masters and seek our inspiration from their wonderful work. They saw the poetry and rhythm of iron. Out of it they made masterpieces not for a day or an hour but for the ages. We should go back to them for our ideas in craftsmanship, to their simplicity and truthfulness. The superficial and the tricky, which are spreading over the world of art like a disease, doom themselves to destruction. The beautiful can never die.

Throughout my life I have been striving to teach people the love of beautiful things. There is no reason why people in the United States should fancy that we cannot do beautiful things here, because we can. Only America has been used to accepting the superficial, that the workers turn it out in bulk.

Let us remember that "a thing of beauty is a joy forever."

I hope to have the time and pleasure of coming here again to discuss the question of beautiful things which are one of the most essential things today, and which help to make life much more interesting.

I will now show some lantern slides. TOP