We were driving along Route 2 in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, looking for an old dairy barn where we knew blacksmith Steve Bronstein had set up Blackthorne Forge. Just outside the village of Marshfield we spotted it. There by the side of the road was a big old yellow barn with a red weathervane and a sign that says blacksmith on the roof. Directly in front, arranged casually on pieces of shale and rock, we noticed birds made of iron. Small ones, that perch on your palm, and larger ones that have real presence on a table or in a garden. Inside the adjacent building, Steve creates functional and sculptural ironwork that's sold in galleries across the country.
The birds drew us back outside, and before I knew it, they had completely charmed me. I chose a group of six to ship back to San Francisco. They arrived earlier this week, and immediately attracted admirers at Timeless Treasures. And who bought the first ones from our flock? The mom of an East Bay blacksmith. "Just to know it's handmade by a blacksmith in Vermont. That's what makes me so happy," she says. We couldn't agree more, and we've asked Steve to send another gaggle or flock or whatever of these delightful ground birds and song birds. Come choose one, or a small group, to feather your own nest.
