DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK
Jesús Alba Mansilla has a small family business which has worked with iron since the beginning of the 19th century. They preserve old pieces and engraved utensils with the family stamp and even works obtained directly by carrying out the reduction process with minerals.
Their workshop is located in Checa, Guadalajara, a village which, back in the day, had a strong presence of the industry regarding the transformation of iron. It had started in the early 15th century, leaving behind, as the vestiges of that period, a series of forges in the town and its surrounding areas.
The pieces they manufacture are unique and original, which is what artisan forging works precisely guarantee. He also carries out the restoration of pieces following traditional methods, without welding. He is a specialist in grilles, balconies, railings, decorative elements (chandeliers, door-knockers, etc,), furniture (tables, small tables, bed headrests, etc.) and other restoration works. To carry out these works, the sketches are sometimes cut out directly from the metallic sheets, but in other cases working them in iron of different calibres in the forge.
He also carries out forged iron sculptures with no welding. For large formats he also uses metallic sheets of different thicknesses worked on using different techniques.
APPRENTICESHIP
He was very young when he gave his first steps in the craft, since the tradition has run in the family for several generations. His father, Pascual Alba Bujeda, his grandfather Gregorio Alba Arrazola, his great grandfather Domingo Alba Alaba and his great great grandfather Joaquín Alba all dedicated their professional careers to working with iron in the locality of Checa.
SELECTED WORKS
Reproduction of the key to the Cathedral of Albarracín.
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José Manuel Díaz García
santa cruz de tenerife
