Philip Simmons’s ornamental ironwork graces many of the homes and buildings of Charleston, South Carolina. Born on nearby Daniel Island in 1912, as a boy he apprenticed with local blacksmith Peter Simmons (no relation), learning to shoe horses and forge fittings for ships and cars. With the movement to automobile transportation, Simmons experimented with his techniques, studying local decorative wrought iron and evolving his artistry to fashion fences, gates, balconies and window grilles — now numbering over 500 in Charleston. Working on many architectural restorations sponsored by the Historic Charleston Foundation, Simmons has left his mark on this lovely city.

Philip Simmons’s life reflects the history of his times as well as his artistic development. He began working in a blacksmith as a boy, working mainly on wagons and farm implements and shoeing horses. But then the car came along.

“I had to make those changes, ‘cause the horses was going out; the cars was taking place of the horse and wagon… When people start buying the car, you know what I start doing? Making the trailer to pull behind the car. The trailer being made just like a wagon. You only put rubber tires on ‘em, and put one shaft in the middle and put it behind the car. That’s the same wagon.”

“But, listen to this story! For fourteen years I was making trailers to pull behind the cars. Guess what happened? The machines, the factory started turning out trailers half as cheaper than I could have made them. Half! Half as cheaper that I could have made them. So you see what happened now? That’s how come you asked the question. That’s how come I had to turn to wrought-iron work. And so far as the pattern, Charleston was a role model for that pattern, ‘cause a lot of wrought-iron gates and all was here.”