Lost wax casting is an ancient art and craft which is over 2000 years old. The process began in the Middle East and was perfected by the Greeks and Romans during the Classic Age.
This many step, labor intensive technique at Maitland-Smith begins with a detailed sketch followed by a finely carved wax model.
A pigment is added to the wax to make it opaque and easier to work. Whether the item is a traditional 18th century bail handle or an escutcheon plate or highly ornate rococo drawer pull, each item starts with a master wax example.
The finished wax model is then encased by a modified form of plaster which is extremely fine in consistency. This allows the plaster to capture the negative of all details of the wax object.
A coarser top coat of many layers is applied. As the plaster dries and hardens, two holes are carved into the material to facilitate casting. The plaster mold is then filled with molten metal, which in turn melts the original wax model which drains away using a narrow exit hole, resulting in "lost wax." When the mold cools, it is broken open to reveal a finely cast metal object. It is at this point that the newly cast item is polished and a hand-applied finish is added.
As a high-end producer of accent furniture and decorative accessories, it is crucial that we have the ability to create our own hardware, metal mounts and fittings as well as finely cast decorative accessories. This enables our artisans to create hardware in the appropriate scale, historic reference or to their own vision without any compromise.
Companies without this ability must buy ready made mountings and hardware from industry catalogs. Often the available parts are not the right proportion, and sometimes of less quality. They may be used by many manufacturers, rendering the item less unique.
Notice the detail of the dark antique brass finished dogs on these bookends. They are sitting on a wood base covered in chocolate brown leather.
Below are the door pulls with escutcheon plates from a leather bar cabinet. Limited only buy the imaginations of our designers, pulls can be classic or more contemporary designs. On a whimsical note, one of the Maitland-Smith leather inlaid center tables features cast brass turtles as feet.
Lost wax casting is just one of the many intricate processes used by our artisans that are the hallmarks of Maitland-Smith.
Elegant and distinctive pieces for your home today, with quality and style to last a lifetime.... Do you have a Maitland-Smith treasure?
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