Ironmongery originally referred both to the manufacture, and the place of sale of iron goods produced for domestic rather than industrial use. The usage of the term has expanded in recent times to include consumer goods made of aluminium, brass, or other metals, as well as plastics. The term ironmonger’s as a supplier of such goods is still widely used in Great Britain, the US equivalent being "hardware store".

In the areas where ironware and nails were manufactured, particularly the Black Country, an ironmonger was a manufacturer operating under the domestic system, who put out iron to smiths, nailers, or other metal workers, and then organised the distribution of the finished products to retailers.

Dealing in ironware has a long tradition, dating back to the first recorded use of the metal to fashion useful objects as long ago as 1200 BC, and studying the movement of such goods around the world, often over long distances, has provided valuable insight into early societies and trading patterns.

By the Middle Ages, skilled metalworkers were highly prized for their ability to create a wide range of things, from weaponry right through tools and implements to more humble domestic items, and the local blacksmith remained the principal source of ironmongery until the Industrial Revolution saw the introduction of mass production from the late 18th Century. This came to a climax in the second half of the 19th century, when Victorian ironmongery offered a treasurehouse of appealing metalwork, with elaborate manufacturers’ catalogues offering literally thousands of wonderful objects to meet each and every need, almost all of which sought to combine practicality with pleasing design.