By Neil Mansfield

It is quite unusual to see high school students attend a Friday night field trip that is related to their studies, but you can see from the photos and the expressions on their faces that they are definitely interested in the treasures in metalwork that are sitting in front of them.

Students from the Assabet Valley Metal Fabrication class got an unique glimpse into the work of a Bostonian blacksmith and his fine craftsmanship from the 1900's.   The metal work that you see on the table are all fine examples of what you can do with metal and how it can become so life like.  The large piece on the right hand side of the table is a chest that secretly opens which was hand crafted by Mr. Frank Kalowesky for the 1933 Chicago's World Fair.  It took him four years to make this in his free time, after working all day in his Boston shop forging gates, fences and many more ornamental ironworks for wealthy clients from New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, including Harvard University.  He managed to craft these pieces that you see on the table at night and on weekends.  

Working with his hands, Kalowesky used wrought iron, brass, and bronze and achieved the artwork through the use of chiseling, forging, and gas welding, a process that pre-dated modern arc welding techniques. 

 
The large chest is a depiction of the history of Chicago.  Each panel on the chest has been rough forged and then hand carved with small chisels, and files.  The large figures on the top have been forged and chiseled out of one solid piece of wrought iron. Along the sides of the chest, are panels with dates and scenes starting with a frontiersman hunting, a Native American, President Lincoln, a blacksmith, and many more significant dates and scenes of historic events in Chicago. These scenes range from the 1800's to early 1900's. This is not a casting but rather a hand-worked masterpiece that won a gold medal for the finest craftsmanship in the 1933 World's Fair.

The small piece on the table is a box that also opens secretly.  This one was made in 1922, also in Boston, Massachusetts.  Its theme was based on German folk law of gnomes as good spirits. Frank, a German immigrant from the 1800's, had dreams of this scene as a little boy and later in his metal working career he created this small box out of his imagination.  Once again, the detail of the gnome, a bird in a tree, rocks, stones, and inlayed bronze work is amazing.  In addition, Frank made a pocket watch which rests inside the box. This pocket watch is hand-carved containing a scene of a blacksmith and his apprentice making a chain. The watch chain and clip is hand-made as well. These types of masterpieces require you to take the time to study them and see even additional details that this blacksmith had put into his work. It's just amazing!

When artisan Carl Close showed how to open both these pieces of work, the students were as surprised as all of us in the shop were to see how this man could create something so inspiring, neat and, above all, a pleasure to view.  Frank's spirit of craftsmanship continues to live on in these fine pieces of metalwork. One can obviously see the fascination in the faces of the students.  The lamp locks and door stops all have Frank's signature trademark of fine metalwork.

Carl Close has distinguished himself as a fine metalworking craftsmen and a full time blacksmith that has studied the great masters such as Kalowesky, Samuel Yellin and many more that have gone before us. Carl uses his research, knowledge, craftsmanship, and talents to create high-end metalwork for his wealthy clients.  His work includes historic restoration of metalwork in New York, Boston, and many other parts of the country.  Carl has positioned himself to do this type of work because not many other metalworking craftsmen can, or want to, do this type of work. You can see much more of Carl's work by visiting his web site at www.hammersmithstudios.com.

 
Assabet Valley Metal Fabrication students and teachers are extremely fortunate to have Carl and Susan Close, a husband and wife small business owner team, as mentors, supporters, and friends of our metalworking program.  Our welding hats are off to you, Carl and Susan, for sharing your treasures with us.