Our Projects
U.S. Custom House - Charleston, SC
We were retained by Liolio Architects to survey and determine the appropriate hardware for the restoration of the ground floor of the U.S. Custom House. We custom made hardware for the project in solid bronze. Double door entry sets required 30 inch flush bolts. Hinges were hand cast to reproduce existing hinges. The U.S. Custom House is on the register of Historical Places.
Rutherford B. Hayes Mansion - Columbus, OH
After Rutherford B. Hayes completed his term as President, he retired to his estate in Freeman, Ohio. The mansion, constructed from 1859 to 1863, had been restored, with the exception of one room referred to as the "Inner Sanctum." It was a large bathroom equipped with bathroom fixtures and a desk, file cabinets, and landscaping tools. We reproduced the hardware for President Hayes' desk and cabinetry. We also created a pocket door set and decorative entry door hinges from archived pictures, as shown to the right. Our final touch was to restore the home's plumbing to it's original (1880 remodeled) condition.
Nathaniel Russell House - Charleston, SC
We often work in conjunction with the Historic Charleston Foundation to reproduce antique hardware from some of Charleston's finest homes. The Foundation maintains two museum houses. We recently reproduced a plantation shutter knob for one of them; the Nathaniel Russell House. This house, built in 1808, is one of the finest surviving examples of Federal architecture in the U.S. While the house was being renovated, a shutter knob was found on a window shutter that had been walled off years before. It was the only remaining knob in the house. The restoration committee requested that we reproduce the knob.
We sent the knob to our forge and reproduced it using the same techniques and materials that were used to create the original. The face of the knob and the rosette were forged, and the base was sand cast in solid brass. The committee examined the knob, and approved its use in the restoration of the house. If you visit this house today, you can see the 125 shutter knobs we made installed throughout the house. The Nathaniel Russell knob is listed under kitchen hardware on this website, and is part of our Historic Charleston Hardware Collection.
Dewitt County Courthouse - Dewitt County, TX
Built in 1890, the Dewitt County Courthouse features magnificent details, including the Oriental pattern hardware made by Branford Lock Works of Branford, CT. We reproduced complete interior and entry door sets including the locks, plates, doorknobs and hinges. We adapted the original design for modern security of the exterior and courtroom doors. We worked with the architect and contractor in the design, selection and installation phases.
1875 Italianate Home - Asheville, NC
This beautiful Italianate home in Asheville, NC was built in 1875. We reproduced sterling silver plated doorknobs, rosettes, locks, and hinges from antique originals. Note the detailing of the serpents on the hinges. The hinges have beautiful decorative plates that hide the mounting screws.
This Victorian style courthouse of McCulloch County, Texas was built in 1890. We reproduced cast bronze Victorian period decorative hardware including the Diagonal design hinges, doorknobs, and rosettes first created by the Corbin Lock Company. The courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.
McCulloch County Courthouse - Brady, Texas
Aiken Rhett House - Charleston, SC
The Aiken Rhett House is a museum house maintained by the Historic Charleston Foundation. We are licensed to reproduce hardware on its behalf. We reproduced shutter hardware in hand wrought iron based on an original slave made shutter dog. The pattern is now available in our Shutter Hardware section and is part of our Historic Charleston Foundation Hardware Collection. The house was built in 1818 and was added on to in subsequent years. The townhouse property includes dependency buildings, and is an outstanding surviving example of an urban plantation house.
Frequently called "America's Most Haunted Hotel", the Crescent Hotel is recognized by the National Trust as an elite member of "Historic Hotels of America". We were retained by the owners to reproduce its antique cast bronze doorknobs and rosettes. We analyzed and matched the metallic content of the original hardware, and sand cast each piece. We hand finished each piece using the technique our ancestors used over 120 years ago. The building boasts a fascinating and haunted past, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Crescent Hotel - Eureka Springs, AR
Lowndes Grove was built in 1786 on the banks of the Ashley River in Charleston, SC. We provided solid cast brass doorknobs and rosettes appropriate for the period. The owners selected our brass decorative head and foot bolts for the double doors leading to the piazzas. The Plantation's history spans Revolutionary times to today, which led to its addition o the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Lowndes Grove Plantation - Charleston, SC
Governor Thomas Bennett House - Charleston, SC
South Carolina's Governor Thomas Bennett built his house in Charleston, SC in 1820 when Charleston was the state capitol. We reproduced the original hand wrought slave made shutter hardware from antique originals. The pattern is now available in our Shutter Hardware section and is part of our Historic Charleston Foundation Hardware Collection.
Gucci 100th Year
Gucci, during their 100th year celebration opened pop-up stores in several large cities in the US and Canada. We were commissioned by them to make these pulls for their fine mahogany cabinetry. The finish shown is our hand rubbed antique finish.
Along the banks of the Stono River, Fenwick Hall was built in 1730 and is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture still standing in South Carolina. In 2006 we were comm-issioned by the owner to restore the two large rim locks from the manor house. Our locksmith in England reproduced the original keys and recast broken and missing parts to return the locks to their original working order. Charleston Hardware Co. also reproduced the original 24 inch long wrought iron strap hinges and shutter dogs for the carriage house.
Fenwick Plantation - Johns Island, SC
St. Matthews Church - Charleston, SC
St. Matthews on King Street in Charleston SC was built in 1872. After doing a thorough site visit, we found that the original hardware had been replaced with antique residential hardware. Nothing matched. Upon further investigation, we found one piece of original silver plated hardware on the entry doors. We reproduced the hardware in solid brass and then silver plated it. Interior hardware was made in unlacquered brass.
Gibbes Museum of Art - Charleston, SC
The Gibbes Museum was built in 1858. We reproduced window and door hardware for the Gibbes Art Gallery in Charleston, SC. It’s neoclassical style includes and Egg and Dart rectangular back plate with large palm decoration. Cast in solid brass, it required special hand finishes.