The Brass Evolution
BRASS IS BACK…well for now!
Did you ever think you would hear that again? The saying is true, what goes around, does comes back around.
Queen Victoria ruled the United Kingdom of Great Britain (1837-1901) during a period of history that can be argued to be one of the most memorable era’s of all. The Victorian Era was a time of immense change and growth, by and large due to the introduction of mass production.
The American Industrial Revolution was the birth of efficiency and modern technology. This movement, according to House of Antique Hardware, gained momentum in the late eighteenth century and did not look back. A particular industry that certainly benefited from the mass production phenomenon was hardware. Brass and bronze was used for majority of fixtures on doors, cabinets, furniture, floor registers, electrical switches, etc. Now hundreds of pieces of hardware could be manufactured at one time, increasing the amount of exposure brass fixtures had spanning the continents.
Through the decades brass fixtures still existed but not as monumental as they did the in the early 1900’s. The black and gold color pallet of the Roaring Twenties. Bar carts in the 1950’s often times were fabricated from cast brass. Dressers in the 1960’s utilized brass pulls on their drawers. The 1990’s and early 2000’s utilized a lot more brass fixtures than previous generations; a similar amount in comparison to the Victorian Era. Interior door knobs, bathroom towel rings, toilet paper holders, light switch covers were all made with a brass finish. You may even still have your brass door knobs and floor registers currently in your home!
Trends are constantly evolving, especially in the design world. Stainless steel and brushed nickel have made their mark as the most desired hardware finish in the past 10 years (which we do not see changing in the near future). But websites such as Pinterest and Houzz have now allowed homeowners and designers to constantly be updated on the latest and most trendiest fixtures out there. Brushed brass hardware has been a Pinterest hot item, pinned by millions of followers.
For more brass fixtures, visit our Pinterest page for a wide array of selections.
Our customers have noticed the brass trend too. Take a look at a recent kitchen order our team put together.
Can’t get enough of brass hardware? Check out these links for more ways brass hardware is being used today!