Antique Brass - (AB)

What is Antique Brass?

Antique Brass has a rich dark brown colour with a slight golden tint and visible brush marks in the surface. Antique Brass is an applied finish used to give brass items an aged, tarnished look. Our Antique Brass products are then coated in a high-quality clear lacquer to help protect and maintain their rich dark finish.

Brass itself is a non-ferous, red metal that is an alloy of copper and zinc. The brass being non-ferrous means it will not rust making it ideal for both internal and external applications.

Alongside polished brass there are many other different finishes of brass including Polished Brass, PVD Brass and Satin Brass.

What colour is Antique Brass?

Antique Brass has a beautifully classical dark brown finish alongside a subtle golden tint and visible brush marks on its surface. Each item of Antique Brass ironmongery undergoes a process of satinising and then individually aging, meaning every antique brass item will have a slightly different brushed pattern and colouring. This is designed to add to the charm and individuality of the antique finish and is a major benefit of using Antique Brass products.

Furthermore, whether you buy highest quality most expensive brass products on the market or the cheapest budget quality brass products, brass will always want to dull and turn brown. This is because the metal (the brass) is reacting all the time with the oxygen in the air, (oxidation) to tarnish the brass. This tarnish is trying to preserve the brass by forming a patina on the surface. The patina layer turns the surface colour of the brass a brown colour.

To help keep the brass products looking as shiny and new for as long as possible, manufacturers now lacquer over the brass to seal the shiny finish.

Are there any other colours similar to Antique Brass?

Yes if you can’t find the item you are looking for in Antique Brass, the next closest option is Florentine Bronze

Ironmongery-Finishes-Antique-Brass Ironmongery-Finishes-Florentine-Bronze

Antique Brass Florentine Bronze

As you can see from the images above Antique Brass is a slightly darker finish then Florentine Bronze

What Are Antique Brass products made from?

Usually Antique Brass items will be made from solid brass, there are some exceptions such as some hinges and cabinet handles which are being made from stainless steel, Zinc alloy or Mazac. These products have an Antique Brass effect applied to them. Please check individual products to see what base material they are made from.

How is the Antique Brass finish produced?

A Polished Brass item is taken and satinised (“brushed”) during the final part of production using a satin wheel to give a brushed look to the product. The satin item is then usually dipped or coated in a liquid that causes the brass to false age, turning the brass a dark brown colour. A high quality clear lacquer is then applied to help protect and maintain the finish.

Are all Antique Brass items the same colour and pattern?

No, due to the process of satinising and then individually aging each item, every antique brass item will have a slightly different brushed pattern and colouring, this is designed to add to the charm of the antique finish.

Are Antique Brass products suitable for outside use?

Yes since most of the Antique Brass items are made from solid brass which is a non-ferrous alloy (it contains no iron) Antique Brass products will not rust when fitted outside. However the lacquer coating will eventually breakdown.

Are all your Antique Brass products lacquered?

Yes all of our Antique Brass products (unless otherwise stated) are lacquered.

Can you preserve the lacquer?

Yes regular cleaning to remove dirt, finger prints and watermarks, with a wax based furniture polish such as beeswax, “Mr Sheen” or “Pledge” will help preserve the lacquer finish for as long as possible.

What happens when the lacquer starts to breakdown?

The brass will now start to become exposed to the air and will start to oxidise, eventually the antique brass finish will become even darker.

Can you buy non-lacquered Antique Brass products?

Yes, if you want to be able to polish your Antique Brass items or would like the finish to oxidise and tarnish even further naturally for an authentic aged look. Please contact us for details of these products.

How to clean Antique Brass

Antique Brass products are protected by an advanced lacquer and under normal circumstances should give many years of service. Antique Brass products should be cleaned regularly with a soft cloth and wiped over with a wax-based furniture polish ideally beeswax, but products like “Pledge” and “Mr Sheen” work well too. Regular cleaning with furniture polish will help preserve and maintain the lacquer and guard against dirt, finger prints and watermarks.

Do not use any form of metal cleaner on new Antique Brass products as this will damage the lacquer.

What is the difference between Antique Brass and Aged Bronze?

The main difference is that while Antique Brass is an alloy made up of copper and zinc, Aged Bronze is instead made of copper and tin. Visually, Aged Bronze is slightly darker than Antique Brass appearing as a more blackish or brownish colour and without the golden hint. Both finishes are non-ferrous meaning they are equally suitable for both internal or external use, representing a classic option for anyone looking for beautiful heritage ironmongery.

You can view our range of Aged Bronze ironmongery products here.

Our top Antique Brass products

Antique Brass is becoming a very popular mainstream finish products include: