In introduction it could be told, that it is understood under the concept cast iron, the cast iron of iron with carbon if there is more carbon than 2%. If there is less carbon [and it is the same in all other cases], it means that it is steel, which is - contrary from cast iron – plastic. If it is used in common jargon the term ” iron”, it means the steel with a small contain of carbon, then the tender steel, it is plastic well and it could not be hardened.

In Chine the cast iron had been produced in 4^th century before our age yet and various articles were cast from it. European got to production of cast iron in 14 century our age.

Technology of casting the cast iron is more younger than cast of bronze, which we have known from antiquity. There were proceeding with work with cast iron similar way like with bronze in European conditions.

The Middle Europe, Germany and especially Bohemia were remarkable by heating rooms with a stove instead fireplaces from 14^th century. Milan’s ambassador at the Yard of Vaclav IV [Umbrio], saw in the stove The Middle – European, definitely specific in Bohemia. Cast iron in this view offered more economic, technical and economical solution than the common tiled stove, which was often used during the production of cast ironing desks often decorated with the biblical subjects on the break of 15 – 16 century, which were determined for montage of cast ironing stoves. From the cast ironing desks was constructed mostly the bottom part of stove, which was determined for the speed heating while the top parts were formed in a pottery way in the future.

Iron was produced in so - called ” blowing furnaces ”, it is in the lumps furnaces. The huger blowing instruments driven with the water wheel however gave possibility to increase ironing furnaces and this way the high – furnace production of crude iron was founding gradually. Wooden coal stayed as fuel. The crude iron was made malleable in malleable furnaces or was cast into forms in the form of cast iron.

Soon arms and ammunition were produced from cast iron. The first news is from Rhineland from the end of 14^th century about it where the rifle – maker Marcklen Grast offered himself for casting iron arms to the town Frankfurt. During casting it was proceeding this way in that time that iron scrap was melted with tin and antimony in small furnaces and melting material was cast into forms. In a half of 15 century they started casting directly from the high furnaces.

The cast guns and mortars were used especially there where they were put permanently – on the town’s walls, ships and so on. However cast iron was more important for the production of balls first because balls from bronze were too expensive. Grenades from cast iron started to product about 1450.

We have supported the first news about casting the cast iron balls in Karlova Hut from 1596. The Thirty – Years War gave the instigation for producing and using gun’s cast iron. The leading role Kraluv Dvur at Beroun and Strasicke Ironworks played, which were in a rent at Zanetti in 17^th century. There were produced 3, 6, 12 and 24 pound balls, from 3 till 3000 pound grenades, balls and chains and also guns. At the beginning of 18^th century Stara and Nova Hut produced grenades, fragments balls 18, 24 and 30 pound weight, in Stasice seven pound weight ”crowd arm named houfnice”, grenades and balls.

There was also produced other goods except cast iron for military using. Especially casts were made, which the firm used itself for own using. Theses were desks into malleable furnaces for stamps – mill, under a base of high furnace, an anvil, weight and so on. Various types of pots, kettles were produced from cast iron for selling. In Komarov they were produced in 17^th century yet. Other cast iron goods were kettles, plates, fire grates, ” mortars” and in the second half of 18^th century it was so a stove. Remarkable evidence about using cast iron in man’s architecture are two stoves cast by Leonardo Bury and Karel Poz in Osek at Zbiroh [near Horovice] in 1716.

The first mention of artistic so called French cast iron we have got from 1756 in Strasice where two statues of grenade’s men were cast for Vienna’s Nove Mesto they weighted 40 cents. The artists cast ironing reached its top in the end of 18^th century. There were cast in clay or sand. There were used to cast into scuttle. There was proceeding that way that by the model was created a form in two scuttles fulfilled by sand, which were fitting well together. The first part of form was placed in the upper scuttles and the second part was placed in the bottom one. The artistic cast iron was cast into clay with a core, shirt and coat. The shirt was made from wax in a plaster form.

We record the lasting interest about cast iron products in a half of 18^th century. Except common casting into clay was gradually established casting into sand. There was proceeding that way that by the model was pressed the form into sand mixed with coal – dust. This created form was sprinkled up by coal – dust and into it was filled liquid cast iron. That way desks, plates, anvils, weights and so on were casting. The artistic cast iron was cast just from furnace only smaller pieces by spoons. In the first stage these were stoves and fire places desks.

The crude iron flowed through a ditch or a small drain from forming sand with the natural fall to forms. The casting sand bed had to be exactly horizontal. The models used to be from metal or wood material. Used sand could be neither wet nor too dry and it was prepared on the bench made from iron desks. It was dried with the hot pieces of crude iron and it was mixed with one third of coal – dust from the hard charcoal. The sand was sifted through a sieve, was wetted by water and was melted so long till it was possible by griping it in a palm to make clods. A mister of a high furnace opened the outlet of crude iron.

For casting of desks were needed three people. The casting lasted about five minutes. The jerky red casts were spilt with coal – dust. The large desks were weighted for it they did not break during cooling.

Plastic patterns on cast desks presented letters, numbers, stars and various figures. Models were printed in different combinations only in this depth to the high part of carving was pushed back. Desks with various changed motives were produced with a small number of models.

The formulation with help of one great milled board was the more developed way of casting the desk. Iron foundry had such models [patterns] in a great supply. Makers of wooden models were wood – carvers, sculptors or joiners too, which mastered so carvers work too especially in 16^th century. We can often find a mark or a signature of iron - founder on cast desks. The stoves or chimney’s desks were produced in Siegerland`s furnaces in a common way in the second half of 15^th century, in Bohemia a hundred years after it.

The great extend got at ours casting of cast from the half of 18^th century especially of economy reasons because a lack of wood started to show. In the end of 18^th century the cast iron was the corresponding supply instead color metal.

The cast rail for umbrellas
(Taken from http/: www.albany.net/nracnyfr/petit.html)

The cast material was adjusted every shape of object easily it could be rough – worked well and mainly there was possibility to produce the same pieces.

scholl chair - 1910
(taken from  http://www.chicagohs.org/AOTM/sept98/sept98fact3.html)

Architecture of After Napoleon Classicisms, it was named Biedermeier at ours, used cast supplements. It was not only a cast stove modeled into various shapes and various decorated but it was various banisters too and figural supplements all kinds. Cast iron stepped out from interior of buildings and won in a fight with wrought locksmith’s work. The cast banisters of stairs, balustrades and bridges had the sober simplicity given the material, style and technical possibilities of production.

Before end of 18^th century and in the first half of 19^th century cast iron was used in jewelers too. Jewels from the gray cast iron did not imitate gold and silver. Contrary they emphasized theirs difference of material and a way of working up. The Berlin’s manufactures gained recognition for it that they became famous. The production of jewelers was not limited only on Berlin but it was spread in Bohemia too where were created unique articles, which could be measured with German production both technical and designer’s ways. There belonged especially cast jewelry made in 20 – 30 years of the last century, which were created in workshops in Horovice and in Komarov too.

Since the second half of 19^th century we could find cast iron everywhere it could be used. Massive but reasonable constructive solution of machines and foundation of machines [cast iron suppress undesirable vibration] unusual constructions of pumps, presses, printing and textile machines speaking till this days about the sense of designers for function work and proportions.

All time working cast water pipe from 1830
(Taken from http://www.acipco.com/international/ductilerion/history.html)

The using cast iron in iron – foundering gave possibility to solve increased asks and mass asks for various technical institutes, which was called out by unusual growing towns. There were necessary to build water supplies and it was needed hundreds of kilometers cast ironing water-tapping pipes.

Cast iron forms for high scallop – edged cakes and Paschal Lambs have been using somewhere all time.

Technical and hygienic running of home hold ensured a market for a wide sort of goods for greater and smaller iron foundries. There were cast stoves, wash – basins, lavatory pans, washing down vessels and so on. From the smaller home inventory it was mills for meat, presses, smoothing irons, clothes stands and so on. We are attracted sometimes by perfectly made construction shapes of old wire – stitches or various size of decorative made keys.

Cast iron bath – tubs
(Taken from http://www.bingley-antiques.couk/architectural.html)

The development of street traffic needed various shaped cast iron columns, lamps, and cast iron bars. Cast iron garden’s furniture and especially parks bends were needed.

(taken from  http://www.fartools.com/farmix2.htm)

The perfect forms and practical products from cast iron however did not won in the competition with new materials and new ways of production. Especially for its great weight, a great purchase price and ecological exacting. And this way instead of beauty, graceful shapes [in the right sense of the word] we have been surrounded by rigorous, only useful blinking and welded or other way produced ”boxes” and we often forget that man lives not only on object.