The Blacksmith: Ironworker and Farrier

by Aldren A. Watson

In a lively text illustrated with 160 of his exceptional drawings, Aldren Watson presents a picture of the New England blacksmith of the late 1800s, paying tribute to the skill and ingenuity of this versatile craftsman. Includes plans for laying out a blacksmith shop and constructing a forge.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction

171 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Alren Auld Watson was a craftsman and an illustrator. He was married to Nancy Dingman Watson and was the father of Wendy Watson and Clyde Watson.

Reviews

[Xaq Zelená · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd love to own this book. The illustrations give it a wonderful, unique, and practical aesthetic. Fascinating to read from a historical perspective even if you have little desire to learn blacksmithing.

[Toby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is beautiful and has fabulous illustrations. From the pages I read, I'd say it's also well written. However, this is NOT a book for learning to blacksmith. Maybe you could pick up some interesting bits if you already knew how, but it is primarily a storybook about how things used to be done. A beautiful poem to smithing. It is not something I either need to read all the way through or to own and have around.

[David Holford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to help fill out the protagonist in my novel, a blacksmith in the mid-19th century. It is very informative and very well illustrated.