What material was the first Times Square New Year's Eve ball made from in 1907?

The first Times Square New Year’s Eve ball in 1907 was made from iron and wood.

The ball was commissioned by The New York Times as part of the newspaper’s celebration after moving into its new headquarters at One Times Square. It was designed by Artkraft Strauss and measured about five feet in diameter. More than 700 electric light bulbs illuminated it, making the descent visible to the large crowd gathered below.

The tradition continued after the 1907 event, except during the World War II blackout years of 1942 and 1943, when the public celebration was suspended to comply with wartime lighting restrictions. Later versions changed in size, materials, and lighting technology, eventually becoming the large crystal-covered sphere recognized today.

The first ball is sometimes described as a crystal ball because of the modern design. That description is inaccurate for 1907: its original construction used iron and wood, not crystal or glass.