While a lot of young men were thinking about women and partying, Charles Bushere was focusing on his future. ”It was kind of a fantasy of mine to become a famous artist and make a good living at it which I have,” he said. He may not have been sure which medium he would embrace, but at the age of 17 his passion took hold. His father and now business partner, Frank, taught him everything there was about working with iron. They started building tables out of iron in their garage in 1995 and after years of practice and dedication, they turned it into a business. The father and son team, based out of Pomona, not only fill custom orders, they create their own line of decorative ironwork. At the Golden California, they debuted their gothic dragon fire tool set. Each utensil has been soft cornered, meaning the natural sharp edges have been rounded for both aesthetics and comfort. They also have a set of dragon andirons and admit they are partial to the mythical creature because they see it as a symbol of fire, the very element that allows them to practice their trade. The greatest American blacksmith of the early 1900s, Samuel Yellin, also molded the dragon in his works. ”I admire him for being such a skilled craftsman as well as being able to deal with people,” said Frank. “He is my idol.” Yellin’s shop exploded in the 1920s. ”He had over 200 blacksmiths working for him,” said Charles. And he needed all the manpower considering the grandiose architectural feats his company was going to take on. He did the decorative ironwork for the New York Reserve Bank, the gates of the Washington Memorial, and the Washington Cathedral. The Buschere’s work can also be seen at the upcoming Del Mar Century of Style Show. To get in contact with Frank or Charles Bushere, call (909) 469-0770 or visit bushereandson.com.
Category Archives: wrought iron
Spanish iron in Montecito
Decorative ironworkers Frank and Charles Bushere of Pomona are working on an exciting Spanish Revival project in Montecito near Santa Barbara. They just finished a staircase railing and are currently building a wine cellar door that is a mixture of iron and glass. It has a skeleton key motif. ”It is for a Spanish Revival home…Mary Prague was the architect,” said Charles. The owner of the house is Leslie Tolan, the producer of the television show, “Rescue Me” with Dennis Leary. Her husband writes for the show.
