The Brass
The 70/30 brass alloy that built the Birmingham trade — what it is, how we cast it, why patina is the point.
Solid brass cabinet hardware. Three vocabularies.
Founders (1740) — Georgian. Guild (1890) — Arts & Crafts. Forge (20th century) — Industrial. Each piece sand-cast and hand-finished at our Birmingham workshop by a single craftsperson, start to stamp. Every piece carries the chased Tudor rose, the Birmingham Guild's own maker's mark.
FOUNDERS · 1740
The Georgian vocabulary.
A fluted ‘melon’ knob on a four-pointed backplate. Sand-cast in solid brass. Named for Turner’s Brass House, Birmingham’s first.
GUILD · 1890
The Arts & Crafts vocabulary.
A faceted octagonal knob on a hammered hexagonal backplate, with the chased Tudor rose at the crown. Named for the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft, 1890.
FORGE · 20th c.
The Industrial vocabulary.
A reeded ‘beehive’ knob on a concentric stepped backplate. Sand-cast, then lathed to micron precision. Birmingham’s industrial heirs, made exact.
FINISHES
Three finishes. Held in stock in Birmingham.
Same solid brass core. Three distinct surfaces. Each finish is applied by hand at our workshop and held in stock for next-day dispatch.
Living
Polished Unlacquered Brass
Unsealed. Bright on day one, soft amber by year five. Patina is the point.
Stable
Aged Brass
Pre-aged by hand. Deep, settled bronze tones from the first install.
Sealed
Satin Brass
Brushed, then lacquered. Warm gold that holds its tone for years.
FOR DESIGNERS
A direct relationship with the workshop.
Trade pricing on application. CAD blocks, finish chips and specification sheets on request. The workshop replies within two days.
For designers →THE JOURNAL
Field notes from the workshop.
Hardware for the English country kitchen
The hardware on a country kitchen is the last thing chosen and the first thing seen. A note on choosing brass for...
Living with unlacquered brass: a guide
Unlacquered brass starts bright. It does not stay that way. A guide to what happens next, what to do about it (mostly...