Materials:

Brass

Brass first became available as early as 1585 in the form of brass lattens, which were a solid block of brass that could be shaped into various household items such as bowls and basins etc. Although brass was available, actual brass door furniture was not produced until 1595 and the brass was made from an alloy of copper and calamine. This brass was not cast easily and was very red in colour, similar to copper. It was of poor quality and had a bubbled and pitted appearance.

It took over a hundred years, until 1690, for the practice of adding lead to the copper and calamine alloy to develop. This resulted in a much softer brass that was easier to shape by hand. 1725 saw the invention of the spring rolling machine that allowed the brass to be rolled into sheets and stamped to a particular pattern, but it wasn't until 1770 when James Emerson patented an alloy of copper and zinc that British brass adopted the form it has today. From 1860 more complicated casting could be produced allowing more intricate and ornate pieces.

Brass door furniture was considered to be an extravagance during and after the Second World War and is still seen as being luxurious today.

Tarnishing. Tarnishing is the oxidisation of the metal, equivalent to rusting in steel. To prevent this most brass fitting are coated in a polyurethane lacquer, but even this will break down if exposed to pollution or salt spray. Rings and keys can also scratch the clear lacquer coating and this should be avoided as much as possible. You should also avoid cleaning lacquered brass with metal polishes and most other cleaning solvents, as these will remove the lacquer. The best way to treat it, especially on exterior furnishings, is with a regular coat of wax polish.

If the lacquer breaks down it can be removed using paint stripper solution, acetone or nail varnish remover, and cleaned with metal polish. Bare brass can also be cleaned with a slice of lemon dipped in salt. Regular polishing with a metal polish will then keep the brass in good condition. Alternatively you could reapply a new layer of transparent lacquer, although this is not usually recommended for external brass since it will usually not last long enough.

Some high quality brassware is protected by a process known as electrophoretic lacquering. This process produces a much longer lasting finish.

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Aluminium

Whilst aluminium is one of the most common elements available, its extraction process is heavily reliant on the use of electricity. It is not surprising then that although this metal was available before the Second World War, it did not really become popular until after 1945 due to the introduction of nuclear power stations and electricity becoming more readily available at a more affordable price. A lot of the world's aluminium is now made near hydro-electric power stations in countries with suitable natural resources.

Having a low melting point makes aluminium a relatively cheap material to cast and it is therefore an ideal material for everyday ironmongery. The ease of production is the reason that it is probably the most popular door furniture material used today. It is ideal for carefree every day use but it is a soft metal and tends not to be seen where a unique, distinctive style is required.

There are two main finishes available. These are Satin Anodised Aluminium and Polished Anodised Aluminium. The different processes produce either a satin or polished finish. Aluminium actually oxidises quite quickly, but as it does so it forms a protective layer of oxidised metal over its surface. Anodising is a process which thickens this layer to give the product an attractive finish. The protective layer can sometimes be coloured by use of a suitable dye.

Aluminium furniture needs very little maintenance, and should not be touched with metal polish or other solvents. Weak detergent and warm water with occasional wax polish are sufficient.

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Black Antique

In Black Antique, we see the origins of door furniture as it is today! First seen in 1380, this type of door furniture was produced by the local blacksmith out of cast iron. Cast iron is a brittle material and will not bend so early styles were plain and functional rather than aesthetic.

As wrought and malleable iron became available, more decorative styles came into production. This was due to the iron being easier to bend and shape and to produce patterns such as the leaf or spade shape which are designs still being used today. The plainer the style, the older it dates and very early examples would have been fixed using nails rather than screws!

During the 1870's and 1880's, the Gothic revival period saw the resurgence of black antique ironware. Even after the resurgence ended, this style of ironmongery was continually used in churches due to its strength and design appeal. It was and still is an ideal material for use on solid oak doors and any style of property requiring the "aged" or "dated" look.

Iron door furniture is at risk of corroding. Where the metal touches the paint will wear off, and create a possibility of rust if there is no oil or grease. Iron should be oiled regularly, especially if it is outdoors.

There are three main types of antique black iron door furniture manufactured today.

1 - Grey Iron. Although this is relatively easy and cheap to cast it is extremely brittle, in thin sections especially, and cannot be riveted, hammered or assembled with any ease.

2 - SG Iron. Although more durable than grey iron, it is difficult to cast into thin sections. It is not as tough as malleable iron.

3 - Malleable Iron. This is an iron that after casting is subjected to a heat treatment process known as annealing. Castings are heated to around 1000ºC for up to 100 hours whilst in contact with haematite ore. This oxidises and thus removes carbon from the casting. This makes the metal much less brittle so that it is stringer and resistant to fracture with repeated stress.

Cheaper door furniture is very often artificially distressed and made of grey iron or SG iron. If this is the case, it must be thick enough, and well finished with a good quality rust proofing process.

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Bronze

After brass was patented by James Emerson in 1770, real bronze was defined as any alloy of copper apart from zinc. Bronze became very popular because of its carefree maintenance due to the material forming its own natural protective patina over a short space of time.

Although popular with the end user, real bronze was very unpopular with the manufacturers, due to dangerous fumes being produced when the material was cast. UK legislation led to many manufacturers discontinuing door furniture made from this material. However, the past decade has seen a substantial rise in the popularity of bronze once again.

Seen as an exclusive addition to already beautiful properties, real bronze is available in two finishes, highly polished or antiqued. The highly polished finish will maintain its brilliant sheen until eventually ageing gracefully as the bronze oxidises. The antiqued finish is the polished bronze after it has been through a special process to rapidly oxidize the surface. When constantly handled, the oxide film will gradually wear away to reveal the beauty of the polished bronze underneath.

There are other "bronze" finishes available, but these never have the same character as real bronze. In the case of the "antiqued style" bronze the colour produced is a unique iridescent patern that reflects back various colours whilst the underlying shade is a mid bronze. The finish is created by taking a highly polished solid bronze product and putting it through a special process which rapidly oxidises the surface. Also, constant handling causes the oxide film will wear and lighten in places, while untouched surfaces darken. This is also part of the appeal of the material.

Unlike brass furniture, bronze furniture is not protected by a lacquer coating. It will benefit from a non-acid wax furniture polish sparingly applied from time to time. An occasional wipe over with a cloth damped with good light oil or lanolin is also recommended. Never use Metal polish to clean Bronze.