I often find myself in presentations dismissing brass right away because I KNOW how expensive it is and for some reason want to shield my clients from sticker shock. This last week while I was in NYC, I caught myself and even admitted to the customer that I tend to push our knockoff “badass brass” (powder coated steel to look like brass) as a budget friendly alternative to genuine brass. Indeed, real brass is about three times as costly as steel BUT it IS worth it if your budget can allow it. There’s nothing quite like the real deal!
This photo is my brass baby. I don’t loan it out and I keep it close. It’s the first sample I made in brass, and has an aged hand rubbed finish, luxuriously soft. When we say hand rubbed, we really mean it! We work with who we think is the premier finisher in the country for brass, Gerber Hinge European Hardware. They’re quality is impeccable with customer service to match. They are a family owned business and take tremendous pride in their work. We send them our raw cut grilles or panels, unfinished. They work their magic, bathing the brass in chemical baths to get rid of the ferrous and aging it to just the right hue. It is then rubbed, and buffed by hand creating a soft hand rubbed antiqued finish. No two pieces are ever EXACTLY alike because this is all done by hand, but pieces within a batch are very close. I’ve never been unhappy with the outcome, ever!
I so appreciate the fabricators we work with who cut the brass, and are who are willing to work with it. There are many out there who don’t want to take the risk of working with such an expensive material. Even more difficult is welding brass which is required for our grilles and registers. We have a fabricator who outsources to a specialist for this job, one who can take the time to braise rather than weld in order to avoid bumps and blemishes on the surface. So thankful for these artisans and expert finishers who enable us to offer these exquisite pieces to you.
Our brass is offered in three gorgeous finishes: Satin, Polished and Antiqued. Modern Metal brass is designed to be LOVED and ADORED for years and years. It’s timeless beauty really speaks for itself!
