In the early part of the XVIII century, the beginning of a long tradition of Bronze d’Ameublement et de Bâtiment began in France. This use of bronze for decorative hardware was the achievement of one man: André Charles Boulle (1642-1732). During the XIX century, the French government, in order to promote this industry, authorized a few bronze artists to reproduce the door and cabinet hardware installed in the numerous state owned Chateaux and Palaces of the former Kingdom of France. Unfortunately a large proportion of those collections has since then disappeared. Bronzes de France now manufactures four of those distinguished collections, the designs and the models of which were passed down through generations of the families who originally created them in the XIX century. Today these historical designs, under the auspices of Bronzes de France, are still created using the traditional methods of hand craftsmanship and the intricate detail is accentuated using the same techniques of hand chasing that are used in the making fine jewelry.
