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Selections from the Permanent Collection
The JG Braun Collection
 After immigrating to America from Germany in the late 1800’s Jacob G Braun arrived in Chicago, where opened an ornamental metals business in 1887. Around the turn of the 20th century he began supplying seamless metal tubing to the Schwinn bicycle company. This proved to be quite profitable for both companies, and soon Braun was able to begin producing elaborate metal ornaments, railings, and fences, which became a sensation in the Victorian and Art Deco buildings of the “gay 90’s.”
The company continued to grow in the 20th century, even as the Great Depression dampened the economic climate. Braun flourished by producing innovative products, such as prefabricated wrought iron storefronts, that suited the changing American lifestyle. With the advent of WWII, the tide of public opinion turned against companies with German roots. Ornamental iron fell out of favor as resources were diverted to support the war effort. A false wall was built in one of Braun’s warehouses to hide decorative ironwork that otherwise might have been destroyed.
Years later, the warehouse was torn down and the stockpile was discovered. According to former Metal Museum Director James Wallace, in the early 1970’s, Ernest Wiemann of Wiemann Iron Works in Tulsa, Oklahoma acquired a large collection of these historic products. In addition to using many of the original wrought iron in his own work, he made a large gift to the Metal Museum in 1975. The JG Braun ironwork has been part of the permanent collection ever since.
In 1997 JG Braun became a division of The Wagner Companies. It continues to provide ornamental metal products to the architectural metals industry.
Click here for more information on JG Braun.
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