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Museum object · Slavery and Freedom Objects

Decorative wrought iron fashioned by Peter Simmons

19th century

Charleston, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A scrolled decorative piece of wrought iron fashioned by Peter Simmons, a formerly enslaved blacksmith. The two (2) pieces of fencing are connected at the top and bottom with two (2) screws. The fencing is scrolled outwards on the top and the bottom. In the center is an outlined circle framed on either side with vertical straight lines and held in place with two (2) screws. Handwritten in the center on one side of the piece is the text [O.S.M. 111] in off-white paint. Next to the text is a painted white rectangle with handwritten, upside down black text that reads [R356].

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2017.108.24.4

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