Portrait of Doug the Dog

Close friends and Hollywood neighbors commissioned Martin to carve a portrait of their aging dog, Doug. The project began in November 2025 and was recently revealed to both Doug and his parents. Unlike most sculptures Martin creates, this piece was never intended for reproduction in bronze. It was conceived as a singular, stand-alone work, a personal tribute rather than a collectible item.

Profile view of the finished walnut portrait of Doug

The first step was determining both scale and material. Honduran mahogany was considered for its warm russet tones, while walnut offered deeper browns and expressive grain movement. During a visit to Santa Margarita, we stopped at Rustic Lumber, an old-school lumberyard reminiscent of the timber yards of Sussex, where felled trees are stacked and seasoned for years.

Rummaging through stacks of 12/4 walnut (approximately 3 inches thick), Martin discovered a striking old-growth board with rich chocolate veining. The wood itself made the decision.

Old-growth walnut plank selected for carving the Doug dog portrait

Doug and his parents later visited the studio, where still photographs and a video were taken from multiple angles. These became essential reference points throughout the sculpture’s development.

Reference photographs of Doug used throughout the carving process

Martin began with sketches, then laminated two walnut slabs to create a solid 6"W × 12"D × 8"H block. Using the selected profile drawing, he rough-cut the head, intentionally leaving off the ears.

The rough carved walnut ears attached and aligned with the emerging portrait

Because ears project outward and are structurally vulnerable, they were carved separately and later joined. This allowed the grain to be oriented for strength rather than relying on end grain, which is more brittle and prone to splitting.

Shaping the walnut block with chisel and mallet

The portrait was never intended as a literal, photographic rendering. Instead, it was an artistic interpretation designed to capture Doug’s character and presence. Unlike painting, sculpture cannot rely on pigment to describe fur patterns, eye coloration, or subtle tonal shifts. Form, plane changes, and carved texture must convey what color would normally express.

Refining the jawline and neck as structure begins to define expression

The Tools Behind the Portrait

The chisels used in carving Doug’s portrait were not modern imports but English-made carving tools, most more than half a century old. Stamped with names such as J.B. Addis of Sheffield, W. Marples & Sons, and Herring Bros of London, they represent a lineage of British edge-tool craftsmanship that predates modern mass production

Left to right: a small V-chisel for fine edge definition; a medium gouge with a tight sweep articulating brow creases and defining musculature around the eyes; a larger gouge for shaping and removing mass; a skew chisel for refining the inside edge of the eyelid; and a large V-tool for defining fur around the neck

The age of the chisels was not incidental. Steel that has been sharpened and used for years develops its own character and balance.

Completed walnut portrait of Doug carved by Martin Pierce

Through long familiarity, Martin knew almost instinctively which chisel would work best for each section of the sculpture. He moved constantly between tools, adjusting sweep, angle, and direction of cut as the form developed.

As the wood revealed itself, he responded to subtle shifts in grain and density, allowing the sculpture of Doug to gradually emerge from the block.

On Commissions and Our Dog Collection

While Doug’s portrait was created as a singular work, Martin does occasionally consider private sculpture commissions. Much depends on the individual dog. Certain breeds and coat types lend themselves more readily to carving than others; highly textured or densely curled coats, such as those of miniature poodles, can be challenging to translate into wood without losing clarity of form. Sculpture relies on structure, plane, and silhouette rather than surface color.

Carving a portrait of this nature is also a time-intensive process and therefore necessarily expensive. The form must be studied from multiple angles, often including views not typically photographed — beneath the chin, along the jawline, and across the crown of the head. Unless one is fortunate enough to be a neighbor, as in Doug’s case, a comprehensive set of still photographs and video from many perspectives is essential. Doug was both distinctive in character and readily accessible, which made the process uniquely possible.

For those drawn to canine form expressed in a different way, Martin’s existing collection of dog door knobs and hardware offers sculptural interpretations that translate beautifully into functional art.

Photography Credit

The photographs in this post were taken by Maria Ramirez-Adams, whose careful eye captured both the intimacy of the studio process and the evolving presence of the sculpture. Her images document not only the finished portrait but the progression of form as it emerged from walnut.

Video Documentation

Maria Ramirez-Adams also created a short film documenting Martin carving Doug the Dog. The video can be viewed on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/i2sQu_j7aVQ?si=N0AOXxXNK6aIEq2d

Maria’s work as a videographer brings patience and sensitivity to craft-based storytelling, allowing viewers to experience the rhythm of the tools, the shaping of the form, and the concentration behind the finished piece.

Decorating Understated Doors

Decorating Understated Doors

Whether an armoire or a front door, lighter wood tones can be used to create a striking architectural statement — think black dress with a ruby pendant.

A modest armoire crafted from pale vertical-grain Douglas fir plywood became the canvas for these sculptural vine cabinet pulls, finished in rich autumnal hot patinas. The warmth of the bronze, with layered reds, greens, and browns, brings depth and movement to the simplicity of the wood.

Bronze vine cabinet pull with torch-applied hot patina, revealing layered reds, greens, and oxidized depth across the leaf surface.

At a larger scale, the organic lines of the bronze Morphic entry door handle, finished in a dark patina, transform a quiet cedar surface into a bold architectural focal point. The contrast of the soft bronze contours against the striated wood creates a powerful yet understated entry statement.

-Morphic bronze entry handle commissioned by Andrew Bald for his Coogee, Australia residence. Photo credit: Andrew Bald.

The Process Explained

Applying hot patinas combines chemistry with artistry.

A blow torch raises the bronze surface temperature to approximately 200°F, causing the metal to expand and its surface pores to open. This increased surface energy allows the chemical solution to penetrate more deeply and bond more effectively than it would on cold metal.

The green, red, and brown vine leaf patinas were created using cupric and ferric nitrates dissolved in distilled water and applied by brush to specific areas of the pull. As heat is applied, the water evaporates instantly and the nitrates react with the copper in the bronze, forming colored oxides or patinas. The result is a richly layered surface that is both chemically bonded and artistically controlled.

This armoire was created for a friend’s 600 square foot cabin, with an even smaller 120 square foot bedroom — proof that scale and presence are not determined by square footage, but by thoughtful design.

Douglas fir armoire fitted with sculptural bronze vine cabinet pulls finished in layered red and green hot patina

Making a Design Statement with Orchid Door Pulls

Duet Design Group specified Martin Pierce’s Orchid Spray hardware for a custom interior barn door as part of a high-rise residential remodel in Colorado. When asked why they made this selection, the firm explained:

“The piece was selected for its sculptural quality and refined detailing, adding a sense of softness and craftsmanship to a clean, architectural moment within the home.”

That observation perfectly captures the beauty and craftsmanship that emerge when an artist employs the lost-wax process to create functional art. At the start of 2026, we felt it was worth revisiting this ancient technique to understand how and why it remains the foundation of truly exceptional architectural hardware.

More than hardware, the orchid spray becomes functional art—bridging nature, architecture, and craftsmanship.

Lost Wax - Investment Casting

The terms lost wax and investment casting describe a process in which wax replicas of an original pattern are burned out of a hardened shell, leaving a cavity that is then “invested” with molten bronze or another alloy.

The Orchid Spray began as five individual patterns, each hand-carved by Martin Pierce in wood. Once carved, the surfaces were carefully primed to create non-porous, easily removable originals. As a trained wood carver, Martin uses a wide range of chisels and tools to achieve the fine botanical detailing visible in the finished bronze.

From these wooden patterns, soft rubber molds were created by pouring and curing flexible rubber over each form. The rubber captures every contour of the carving. Once cured, the mold is peeled away from the pattern, leaving a void that is later filled with melted wax.

The orchid spray door pull at the wax stage, where each botanical detail is refined by hand before casting in bronze.

Trees, gates, and sprues

The design of the mold — and the eventual flow of molten metal — determines where the “gate” to each wax piece is created. For smaller elements, multiple waxes are joined onto a central sprue, forming what is known as a wax tree.

During casting, the bronze flows through the wax tree and into each gated piece. The placement of the gates is established at the mold-making stage, while the number of pieces attached to each sprue depends on how far the bronze can travel before it loses heat and momentum.

Original sculpted master patterns from which the bronze orchid spray door pulls are cast, preserving the organic form through every generation.

Shelling and Autoclave

Before bronze can be poured, the wax tree — complete with sprues and gated waxes — is encased in a rigid mold through a process known as shelling. The assembly is repeatedly dipped into ceramic slurry and coated with sand. This layering process can take several days, as each coat must fully dry before the next is applied. The result is a shell thick and strong enough to withstand the weight and temperature of molten bronze.

Before kiln firing, most of the wax is removed rapidly using high-pressure steam inside an autoclave. Because wax and ceramic have different melting points, the wax is flash-melted and drains from the shell through a large funnel. If this step were skipped and wax removal were left entirely to kiln firing, the expanding wax would generate internal pressure sufficient to crack the shell.

Christmas Greetings

A field guide to nature as it appears in Martin Pierce’s hardware collections.

Historically, the acanthus leaf has been used in carving to wrap linenfold molding in room paneling, decorate newel posts on stairways, or provide a finishing detail to the legs of trestle tables.In more recent times Martin Pierce has used vine and maple leaves to create decorative scenes in gold leaf to decorate his furniture, and fast-forward to now where the Willow leaf is both wrapping and decorating his door hardware.

Caption:
Willow leaves swirl around this sculptural bronze lever, softening its form and transforming functional hardware into botanical art.

The Willow leaf has been used as an artistic wrapping to soften the edges and add artistry to what would otherwise be merely a functional door backplate. Willow leaves are pulled together in a swirl to encapsulate a bronze doorknob and flow directionally as wind-swept tendrils to smother and bend an otherwise plain bronze door lever.

In the Hedgerow Collection, a stylized tree canopy becomes an upward-curving lever

From wrapping to fusion, in the Hedgerow lever it is not clear at what point the stylized tree canopy became an upward-curving lever, and arguably it never did. Each organic design has its own tie to nature, and in the Lizard lever a gnarly twig branch is literally the lever support for a suspended anole lizard.

A suspended Anole lizard rests on a twig-shaped lever in this sculptural design

Of all his botanical hardware, the Vine Collection best exemplifies its connection to nature. In the Grapevine entry thumb latch, vine leaves grip the undulating contours of the backplate. Vine leaves fall onto the plate’s surface, and moving entwined leaves create a lever. The thumb latch is a vine leaf that becomes a functional latch that opens the mortise lock and is also released from inside by vine tendrils stylized to form a curling simple turn piece.

Insects and vine leaves in varied life stages animate this limited-edition pull.

The limited-edition entry pull in this series combines insects with leaves in varying stages of life—some vital and growing, others holey and waning.

Thanksgiving 2025

The idea of giving thanks appears almost universal but the symbols that express vary by culture. While the turkey and corn are well known in the US the significance of fish and birds and orchids are celebrated from Greece to China and Japan as worthy symbols. In the banner above we have selected a fish door pull, an orchid drawer knob and blue jay as the components of our theme.

A trio of global gratitude symbols — bird, orchid, and butterfly — interpreted through our sculptural hardware

Functional Art – A Case Study in Custom Hardware

When Cristiane Hendrickson contacted me, her door was already well under construction, but there was still sufficient time to configure a Lizard Entry Set for her needs without using a thumb-latch-operated mortise lock. The Lizard Entry Door Hardware was originally designed for use with an Accurate 9024 mortise lock, which requires a large mortise cut-out inside the door to accommodate an 8” × 4” mortise box. The lock was large and not suited to Cristiane’s beautiful custom door, which featured a wrought-iron Saguaro cactus design superimposed over glass. We therefore configured a modified set, omitting the butterfly thumb latch but keeping the stone backplate to complement the desert setting.

Lizard Entry Door Handle on Cristiane Hendrickson’s cactus-styled entry door — a functional artwork in bronze.

Photograph courtesy of Cristiane Hendrickson

Kayce N. Newell of LKW faced a different site restriction for her client’s Lizard Set, as the entry door stile was simply too narrow for a standard 5½-inch stone mount or a 4-inch-wide backplate. Together we collaborated to create a custom narrow door hardware design that preserved the artistry of the original piece.

Cristiane’s door set required only a minimal hand-sculpted modification at the wax stage to fill the slotted area where the thumb latch would normally sit, resulting in a continuous stone backplate.

Wax model illustrating the hand-sculpted adjustments made to the Lizard handle for Kayce Newell of LKW.

For Kayce’s door, a major sculptural change was needed. A new lizard with redesigned toes was created in wax, and the stone mounting plate was carefully trimmed back. Our standard heroic Lizard door handle mold produces a form with flat feet and outstretched toes that extend over a wide base.

To accommodate Kayce Newell’s client’s door, Martin Pierce sculpted the red wax version so that the front right leg was close to the lizard’s body, with new toes wrapping around a backplate sculpted to a 3½-inch width.

Photography courtesy of Cristiane Henrickson a woman who knows how to use an iphone.

Happy Halloween from Martin Pierce Hardware

Our cabinet bats were the focal point of a banner.

Our Bat Cabinet Pull — handcrafted bronze from the Flying Creatures Collection.

Decorative Hardware for Electric Mortise Locks: Blending Technology with Handcrafted Design

When one considers electric or remote door locks, there’s a tendency to associate these high-tech methods of egress with contemporary door trim. There’s also a tendency to extend this assumption with the presumption that the trim will be made of stainless steel.

Full disclosure — this is a bias that I too harbored, until an imaginative designer re-envisioned his Willow entry door handle sets, transforming them from manually operated to electrically controlled.

Willow Entry Lever Set in silicone bronze dark patina shown with Accurate M1934ELR electric mortise lock. This handcrafted trim demonstrates how organic design can pair beautifully with advanced locking technology.

Accurate Lock has been mentioned in many of our posts as a trusted maker of mortise locks. It remains the only company whose mortises we use and configure our door trim to fit. Their new electric M1934ELR mortise builds upon the same solid foundation as its manual counterpart and requires only minimal modification to function with our entry lever sets.

The M1934ELR electric mortise does, however, need to be planned for early in a project — ideally when the doors are being ordered — to ensure that a power source can be incorporated into the door itself.

Accurate also makes the SM9159E, a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-activated mortise that operates on four AA batteries. This model offers an alternative to their fully wired version, and while battery life may be a concern, the unit includes a low-battery indicator. Most door makers are accustomed to working with mortise locks, but these particular models must be considered during door construction, as they are encased in a 6”H × 1½”W metal box that fits inside the door’s hollow section.

While the Accurate SM9159E will function without external power, it relies on Wi-Fi connectivity and allows for remote control of the locking function.

Exterior view of the Willow lever trim showing sculptural detailing and compatibility with Accurate’s SM9159E Wi-Fi/Bluetooth mortise. A seamless blend of artisan craftsmanship and smart access technology.

Trim Considerations

The electric mortise requires two modifications to the decorative trim and mechanism. Because the lock’s CPU controls the throwing and retracting of both latch and deadbolt, the exterior lever or knob must be fixed from the outside but remain operative from the inside.

To achieve this, the spindle passing through the door and lock must be split so that only half of it moves. The lock’s CPU also controls the deadbolt electrically, but for power outages or emergencies, the deadbolt can still be operated manually — by key from the outside or by turning the thumb piece on the inside.

As technology reshapes architectural design, we continue to collaborate with designers who seek both beauty and intelligence in their entry systems. Our Willow lever sets, when paired with Accurate’s electric mortise locks, offer a refined solution for projects where high design meets high performance.

Gate Hardware Essentials: Style Meets Function by Martin Pierce

The beauty of the Hollywood Hills, especially in the higher reaches near Mulholland and Hollyridge Drive, is a constant sensory pleasure that starts my day energized and calm. Having walked the hills for many years, I decided to mentally catalogue and digitally record some of the beautiful gateways that front these and other ridges. Whether it is a wooden gate, one of wrought iron filigree, a driveway gate, or a garden gate, all are enhanced by the foliage native to these hills.

Entry Gates

Trumpet flowers and pink bougainvillea encase the custom bronze gate handles on this walnut-paneled entry. The gate’s keyed cylinder, gate lever, and thumb latch are used to activate a secure mortise lock. The large lizard functions as the gate pull, and the butterfly, when depressed with one’s thumb, retracts the deadbolt gate latch that keeps the gate securely closed even if the gate is not key-locked.

The mortise lock, made by Accurate Lock, also has an interesting toggle on the side that, when pushed in, prevents the lock system from locking but allows the gate to remain closed. When the toggle is released, the gate will automatically lock when closed. This is a sophisticated gate system that works well and allows the homeowner maximum control over security, depending on need, from popping out to trim the hedge to fully locking when leaving for longer.

On the reverse side, the locking system is activated by a lizard lever that retracts the tubular latch and by the Beetle turn-piece that unlocks the cylinder and mortise. Since the gate is solid wood and very heavy, it required three sets of 6-inch stainless steel butt hinges. The hinges may have been overkill, as we chose 316 marine-grade stainless steel, but this alloy provides exceptional tensile strength and easily supports the weight of the wide gate.

In the entry gate shown here, the lighter weight of the open wrought iron filigree allowed for a more customized and decorative hinge, also fabricated in wrought iron. It is difficult for this writer not to imagine Martin Pierce’s hardware as an alternative lever option, and the Grapevine lever seemed like a good candidate that I would have considered as a complementary style choice.

The garden entry gate below is gracefully framed by a mature Ficus, or Indian Laurel Fig, softened by a manicured Boxwood hedge. Though the gate itself seems almost secondary to the lush foliage, an entry knob from the Morphic or Ergo collections could serve as a jeweled accent, much like a pendant that completes a black dress.

Framed by cascading bougainvillea and set within a deep, keyhole arch, this garden gate reflects the Moorish and Spanish Colonial revival styles that found their way into the Hollywood Hills in the early 1900s, influenced by the nearby Theosophical Society’s Krotona colony. The carved wooden doors, inset with jewel-like circles of colored glass, suggest a mystical quality that distinguished hillside architecture of the time. For this post, I have superimposed one of our sculptural iguana pulls, a piece whose scale and detail echo the whimsical ornament favored in that era, inviting the viewer to imagine how hardware can transform a gate into art.

Not all gates need to be large or custom-made to make a statement. A neighbor of mine chose a simple iron gate, but with the addition of a friendly bronze lizard it was transformed into something both striking and refined. When the gate was first installed, the mailman, who was not fond of reptiles and was momentarily fooled by the realism of this Anole lizard, suffered a moment of panic before realizing the creature was cast in metal.

Sherlock Holmes – the Case of the Mystery Cleaner

One of the challenges of bronze is explaining how its long-term, ever-changing beauty is due to patination—a process that naturally turns the surface varying shades of blue, green, and dark brown over time. It is this very process that draws tourists to the beautiful roofs of Europe’s cathedrals and other landmark buildings and sculptures. Over time the elements interact with the copper component to produce red‑brown cuprous oxide, dark brown‑black copper sulphide, or blue‑green copper carbonate. The patinas that occur during this oxidation process are on the surface of the bronze and they seal and protect the piece, adding to its structural durability by creating a living, changing patina.

The purpose of this post is to balance the pros and cons of how best to keep the bronze in its natural golden state and how different sealants protect bronze hardware.

Emile Meunier’s Cheval

Sealant Options for Natural Brushed Bronze

A sealant is a coating that helps prevent oxygen and moisture from reacting with copper and other alloys present in bronze. They range from simple waxes to clear powder coating, to baked enamel and acrylic and polyurethane lacquers. They vary in how they are applied, how hard they are, how easy they are to clean, and how difficult they are to repair if the surface coating is damaged. As a generalization, harder sealants like powder coating deliver a tougher coating that requires little maintenance, but if damaged cannot be repaired easily on site.

Powder Coating Clear

When we powder‑coat bronze our door handles and cabinet pulls, we use a UV‑stable polyester powder which is sprayed onto the bronze. The spray gun has an electrode that gives the powder a positive electrostatic charge and as the bronze is grounded through a copper conductive cable, the charged powder clings to the bronze. Once heated, the powder becomes chemically cross‑linked to create a uniform, very tough layer that bonds to the bronze surface.

Powder coating is an excellent finish choice for luxury exterior hardware particularly where salt air is present. It offers a good level of resistance to many chemicals and the effects of UV. It also does not require frequent maintenance and dirt and grease are easily removed with a soft cloth and pH‑neutral soapy water. The main drawback is the thickness of the coating, which tends to soften edges and, in the case of our luxury bronze door handles, can detract from the hardware’s design  appeal. It also gives the piece a more plastic appearance and one that feels less tactile than simpler waxed finishes.

Clear Lacquer Sealants

These come in three forms—polyurethane, polyester, and acrylic—and are applied by spraying the bronze and then allowing the surface to cure either by evaporation or by baking.

They differ in their curing methods, toughness, and ability to resist degradation through exposure to sea salt and chemicals. Of the three, a 2K polyurethane spray offers the toughest finish and, like powder coating, it chemically cross‑links with itself to form a tough coat. Acrylic lacquers offer a reasonable option for outdoor applications and, like 2K polyurethane finishes, have the advantage that they can be refinished on site. Baked liquid polyester offers a tougher surface than acrylic lacquers but, as it is a baked‑on finish, cannot be refinished on site and must be returned to the supplier for re‑coating.

Mother Nature and the Old‑School Oil Rubbed Finish

We offer oil‑rubbed light and dark finishes for most of  hand-crafted hardware by immersing the piece in an acidic solution followed by immersion into a neutralizing solution. The bronze will still continue to oxidize, so to slow the process down we apply a coat of microcrystalline wax made from very fine, tightly packed, pliable, high‑oil wax derived from refined petrochemicals or plant‑based carnauba wax. Regular maintenance will preserve the finish and dirt can be removed simply with a soft cloth and, if needed, pH‑neutral soapy water always applied with a soft non‑abrasive cloth. The wax can be reapplied as needed and should be included in the maintenance protocol.

Keyed adhesion

In all methods when the finish is liquid it will adhere and penetrate the surface where there are any pin holes and cling to slightly roughened areas, this is not a chemical cross linking but rather describes another way the finish adheres to the surface.

The Cleaner

The mystery began when our Ergo Wave custom bronze cabinet pulls developed unexpected red-brown stains several months after completion.
These luxury bronze hardware pieces were left in a brushed natural bronze and sealed with an acrylic lacquer finish—a coating that, once cured, is hard and moisture-resistant but never completely solvent-proof.
Photographs taken by the designer documented the hardware in pristine condition at pickup, delivery, and installation.
Yet weeks after the homeowner moved in, stains appeared on nearly every pull—and always in the same location.

Our best theory is that the housekeeper’s regular cleaning routine introduced the culprit.
A household cleaner with either an acidic or alkaline formula may have been sprayed directly on the pulls.
Even though the lacquer had fully cured, repeated contact with a cleaner such as vinegar, lemon-based sprays, or ammonia solutions (like typical glass cleaners) can micro-pit or etch the acrylic film.
We suspect that after spraying, the pulls were not thoroughly dried, allowing cleaner to pool along the back top edge where the pull meets the drawer front.
This residue gradually breached the lacquer, exposing the bronze beneath.
Once exposed, the copper content in bronze reacted with ambient moisture and oxygen, forming a cuprous oxide layer that appeared as a powdery red-brown stain.

The pulls have since been carefully re-buffed to remove the oxide and will be re-finished with a UV-resistant polyester powder coat for greater chemical durability.

Advice for Owners & Designers

Even the best protective finishes are not indestructible.
Whether it’s acrylic lacquer, clear powder coat, or baked enamel, any surface seal can fail if scratched, chipped, or repeatedly exposed to harsh cleaners.
Once the barrier is compromised, moisture, oxygen, and cleaning agents accelerate oxidation and the discoloration will spread.

Recommended bronze cabinet pull care:

1. Use a soft microfiber cloth for routine cleaning of luxury bronze hardware.

2. If needed, wipe with pH-neutral, lightly soapy water only. Do not spray.

3. Rinse and dry thoroughly—do not allow moisture or cleaner to pool.

4. Inspect hardware periodically and touch up or re-coat at the first sign of wear.

Following these steps will protect both the acrylic lacquer finish and the natural bronze beneath, ensuring your custom bronze cabinet pulls retain their beauty and warm patina for years to come.

Test post for our Facebook Connection

Oh the joys of contemporary life! As our connection to Facebook readers seems to have come adrift we are re-connecting, hence the test post. Thank you.

Silicon Bronze vs Brass: Antimicrobial Door Handle Performance

I have always assumed that the primary reason for choosing brass over bronze door handles was aesthetic, since brass has warmer, golden-red tones, while silicon bronze leans more toward a champagne hue. The second assumption is that brass is somehow the superior alloy. But if measured by durability, strength, and corrosion resistance, the clear winner is bronze, not brass.

This week I uncovered a third misconception — that brass has superior antimicrobial properties compared to silicon bronze. That discovery led me into a deep dive into how each alloy is able to kill microbes, and into what microbes actually are and I thank Kylie Kerber at Borachitecture for her questions that prompted this search.

Copper is the key element in this story. It has the ability to kill microbes, and silicon bronze is especially rich in copper, containing between 92% and 96%. Brass, by comparison, has less — typically about 60% to 70%.

Outdoor Use

This is where the science gets really interesting, and where the added durability of bronze gives it a further edge over brass. Central to both alloys is their ability to release copper ions. At the surface, copper atoms oxidize, lose electrons, and become positively charged ions. These ions are naturally attracted to the negatively charged surfaces of microbes, where they bind, disrupt cell membranes, and ultimately destroy the organism.

When a natural patina develops, it does not form as a perfectly uniform layer. Instead, it covers the handle unevenly, leaving areas where copper ions can still migrate to the surface. As a result, both brass and bronze continue to kill microbes even when patinated, though the process slows compared to a freshly polished surface. Bronze, with its higher copper content and greater resistance to corrosion, tends to maintain this antimicrobial effect more effectively outdoors than brass. Furthermore, because brass is a softer alloy containing zinc, it is prone to corrosion and pitting in outdoor environments. As the zinc oxidizes and degrades, the surface becomes porous, accelerating the handle’s overall deterioration.

Indoor Use and Polished vs. Brushed Finishes

Copper content still gives silicon bronze the edge indoors, but the luster or finish of a door handle also plays a role. The word polished is almost synonymous with brass — hardly surprising, since brass positively gleams when polished. However, polished surfaces are effectively flatter, while brushed surfaces at a microscopic level have peaks and troughs. Consequently, a brushed finish has a greater surface area, meaning more copper atoms are exposed at the surface to release ions and kill microbes. To keep this antimicrobial property and regardless of alloy the door handle will need frequent cleaning with a soft cloth to remove surface contaminants.

Speed of Action

Copper ions attack microbes on multiple fronts — from breaking down their outer cell walls to binding with DNA and RNA. These actions both hasten cell death and prevent microbes from replicating. Scientific studies on bronze door handles show bacteria kill times of 60 to 200 minutes versus 60 to 270 minutes when they landed on brass and the speed would be greater if the surface was brushed.

While far from being a microbe, the perforated forms of the Morphic design trace back to my early fascination with foraminifera — tiny ocean organisms whose lace-like shells left a lasting impression. Their natural geometry continues to inspire my sculptural hardware, reinforced by repeated encounters with desert landscapes and the skeletal lattices of cholla cactus. In both cases, the Morphic Collection of door handles can be seen as a translation of nature’s skeletal geometry — an echo of open frameworks transformed into functional art

This post is based on trusted sources, including the EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed studies on copper alloys. Please see the links below to explore further studies on this subject.

References

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA registers copper-containing alloy products. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-registers-copper-surfaces-residual-use-against-coronavirus — This EPA release notes that antimicrobial copper alloys are approved for products like doorknobs and handrails.

• Copper Development Association. Laboratory testing shows antimicrobial copper surfaces kill greater than 99.9% of MRSA, VRE, Staph aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7 within 2 hours of exposure.

• Wikipedia contributors. Antimicrobial properties of copper. Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_properties_of_copper — Includes data on kill times for influenza A, E. coli O157:H7, MRSA, and more.

• Wikipedia contributors. Antimicrobial copper‑alloy touch surfaces. Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_copper-alloy_touch_surfaces — Details EPA registrations of antimicrobial copper alloys and the bacterial species tested.

• AntimicrobialCopper.org. FAQ: Laboratory testing has shown copper alloys are effective against norovirus, rotavirus, and adenovirus; based on CDC recommendations and similar genetic structures, they may also inactivate Ebola and potentially Zika.

• AntimicrobialCopper.org. Results from clinical trials show that microbial contamination is significantly reduced—by 83–100%—on copper surfaces; ICU trials showed a 58% reduction in healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) when copper alloy surfaces are used.

Lost Wax Casting – When to Make a New Mold

Creating wax replicas of an original pattern is central to the lost wax casting process, a method often used in handcrafted stainless-steel hardware, artistic cabinet hardware, and custom hardware designs. In this post, I am showcasing the 12-inch Ergo stainless-steel cabinet pull, a sculptural piece from our Ergo Collection, to illustrate the steps from wax to finished product.

- The process begins with the original pattern, carved in hard, dense blue jeweler’s wax. This step requires precision, as it sets the standard for the final piece. The handcrafted, modern sculptural cabinet pulls in both our Ergo and Morphic collections begin here.

 - Next, we create a wax replica by using a silicone mold taken from the original wax pattern. This allows us to produce multiple replicas while preserving the fine details.

- The initial casting in stainless steel reveals the form but not the finish as surface imperfections in the hardware need to be corrected.

- Final piece finely sanded, spot welded if needed, sandblasted, sanded again, masked, and finished to two lusters—one satin, one highly polished.

Many hands-on artists like us use a two-part silicone rubber to create the mold. A rigid box holds the pattern in place, and then the pattern is covered in liquid silicone and left to cure. To prevent air voids that can occur inside the silicone when it is being poured, we place the mold inside a vacuum pot. The vacuum then pulls air out and draws any pockets of air caught in the rubber to the surface, thereby eliminating voids.

Silicone molds made from superior rubber, when stored properly at moderate temperatures with no ultraviolet exposure, can last decades. So, why make another mold?

- Scale of order. We are a small, limited-production company with a wide array of custom door handles and sculptural cabinet pulls and with over 300 molds ranging in size from 2” to 35”. Each mold typically yields one wax, and given the constraints of space, we only make a second mold when the size of the order or the popularity of the piece makes it worthwhile. Depending on the size of the piece, the wax can take from 45 minutes to two hours to become firm enough to be carefully removed from the mold. If production warrants, we will make a second or even third mold of the pattern to increase the speed of production.
- Customization. As artisans, we are often able to accommodate requests to shorten and sometimes lengthen a piece, provided it works within the aesthetic of the design. If the order is for one or a few pieces, then we pour each wax and modify each one by hand. If the number of pieces is significant, it makes sense to produce a second mold so we can speed up production.
- High-value item or budget. If a client’s budget permits, then for large door handles we will make a new mold to create a customized piece. This is especially the case when the piece is being slimmed down where its depth projects too far. If this were for one unit, we could make the adjustment by hand to the wax, but if four or six pieces are needed—especially when some are used as back-to-back pairs—it is important that all the pieces are exactly the same. That goal is very difficult to attain if the pieces are modified individually in wax; hence, a new mold.

We will be documenting the latter two cases in the weeks to come as we start work on a large, very custom order.

Katydom: Martin Pierce’s Surreal Bronze Insect Realm Comes to Life

Watch, and enter the realm of Katydom—where bronze insects rule”

Welcome to Katydom, a short documentary by Maria Ramirez‑Adams that transports you into Martin Pierce’s fantastical universe of oversized bronze insects and tiny humanoids. Watch as Pierce meticulously sculpts, TIG‑welds, and applies hot patinas—bringing to life a world where elevated scale and storytelling converge in bronze artistry

The short documentary uncovers the myth of Katydom, a realm born from Katydid elders, where the “Insect Race” animates the sculptures once every year.

The short film delves into the art of making sculptures in bronze from the initial design to creating a sculpture in wood to the lost wax process where the wood sculpture becomes the pattern for the mold from which a wax replica is created, shelled and reborn as a bronze casting. The skills of TIG welding and patination are also uncovered with Martin buffing and finessing a katydid sculpture.

Festival Recognition

Katydom premiered at the 2024 Culver City Film Festival and also screened at the Fine Arts Film Festival in Venice, CA—a testament to its cinematic and artistic resonance.

This film is not just a visual journey—it's an intimate window into Martin Pierce’s imaginative creative process. Whether you're a sculptor, fantasy lover, or just curious, Katydom invites you to explore the intersection of art and narrative in bronze.

Whimsical Accents - Then and Now

A recent trip—first to the Midlands in England and then to New York—became an unexpected case study in whimsical carvings and hardware, each piece telling a story through design and symbolism.

Feathers’ Hotel Ludlow, Shropshire, England photo by Martin Pierce

It began in the town of Ludlow, Shropshire, at the Feathers Hotel, built in 1619 and a stunning example of the town’s Jacobean timber-framed architecture. A closer look revealed a particularly odd carving of a man’s head that appeared to be either scowling or crying (possibly both). Delving into the symbolism of the period, I learned that such carvings are known as “grotesque” or “morality” figures—often caricatures of people embodying anger, gluttony, envy, or other moral vices. They served as cautionary tales, warning mortals to steer clear of these unsavory traits—even if the hotel owner may have indulged in a bit of ostentation while delivering the message.

Rich symbolism carved by Robert Mouseman Thompson

At Stanbrook Abbey, Callow End, Worcestershire, on a guided tour of the abbey—now functioning as a hotel and restaurant—we came across a carved stairwell by Robert Thompson. Thompson was an ecclesiastical woodcarver and furniture maker, and the ecclesiastic and heraldic symbolism is clear in the eagle motif, a bird often said to symbolize strength and “divine inspiration”—though one might question the source of such inspiration. Equally meaningful is the collection of busy bees, a metaphor for living a harmonious, selfless life in a monastic order under a vow of silence. Thompson had a sense of humor that earned him the nickname “Mouseman” Thompson, due to his habit of incorporating uncommissioned carved mice into his work. A very close inspection of the image here will reveal the profile of one of the four mice hidden in this staircase.

Good luck and happiness symbolism - carved and cast bats by Martin Pierce on his one of a kind game table and chairs

Onwards to New York, and to a game table and chairs—a modern example of whimsical hardware created by Martin Pierce Hardware. Upon returning from a trip to Asia, friends commissioned Martin to create a game table and chairs. As a nod to the bat’s symbolism as a harbinger of good fortune and prosperity in Asian culture, he incorporated four carved wooden bats into the game table and four cast bronze bats as chair brackets. Continuing the theme of good luck and animal-themed decor, Martin went on to design functional bat cabinet pulls, also cast in bronze.

Poodles were commissioned and photographed by Gillian Crane

Then to Texas, and to bronze poodle castings—poodle door knobs creatively positioned by clients as a door accent and proudly displayed on their entry doors.

4th July 2025

As fireworks light up the skies this 4th of July, let’s not forget how stressful this celebration can be for our canine companions.

At Martin Pierce Hardware, our beloved Jackson is unfazed by the booms and bangs—but many dogs aren't. Our first pit bull, Iris, would tremble and look for an escape when fireworks began. These loud sounds can be disorienting and frightening, often causing pets to bolt from their homes.

So this Independence Day, we encourage all pet parents to plan ahead and help their dogs stay safe and calm.

From all of us—and our collection of dog-themed door knobs, hooks, and hardware—have a safe and peaceful 4th of July!

Morphic Custom Entry Door Handle

In a recent project, a guest who stayed at the prestigious 5-star Post Oak Hotel in Houston reached out to us after admiring the striking Morphic entry door pulls designed by Martin Pierce. These original sculptural handles, created in collaboration with Gensler Houston, were custom-designed for the hotel’s grand ballroom, meeting rooms, and boardroom doors. At an impressive 5 feet in height, the handles were sized to complement the building’s monumental architecture.

Shown here on a double door at Martin Pierce’s studio

For this new residential project, our client sought the same dramatic impact but with scale appropriate for an 8-foot tall single entry door. We reduced the Morphic handles to 4 feet in height to provide balance while maintaining their signature elegance and tactile appeal. Rather than the more variegated patina used at the hotel, the client preferred a more uniform finish. To achieve this, we applied a controlled, water-based patina to the silicon bronze handles, giving them a rich, charred appearance that will continue to evolve over time with use and exposure.

The location of the home—just steps from the ocean—also guided our material choice. To withstand the corrosive effects of salt air, we used silicon bronze, an alloy known for its durability and resistance to rust. Unlike iron-based metals, silicon bronze forms a natural protective layer when exposed to air and moisture, making it ideal for marine environments.

The Morphic collection is also available in 316 stainless steel, a marine-grade alloy with high levels of chromium and molybdenum that help prevent rust, even in coastal climates. While it contains iron, its unique composition creates a self-repairing surface layer that protects the underlying metal from corrosion.

The images below show the scaled-down Morphic bronze pulls mounted on a mock-up door, photographed at our Los Angeles studio. This project highlights Martin Pierce’s ability to adapt original sculptural designs to suit both aesthetic and environmental needs—all handcrafted in the USA.

Post Oak Hotel Door Handles

Post Oak Hotel Houston – recapping the design process

A recent order from a wonderful client in Sydney, Australia led me down memory lane to the custom door handles we created for the prestigious Post Oak Hotel in Houston. However, it was the subsequent Google AI search that didn’t provide clear details that took me to the keyboard to recap this creative project.

Post Oak Door Handles in Bronze Commissioned by Gensler for the Post Oak Hotel in Houston photographed taken at Martin Pierce Studio in Los Angeles. To view Martin Pierce’s long grip collections.

Martin Pierce created the design for the Post Oak long door handle in 2017, and it was the second concept submitted that received approval. When asked to design an oak leaf custom handle, Martin had not realized there was a species of oak tree called the Post Oak, so his first design was based on the Live Oak found in California. The drawings below show the Post Oak on the left with the Live Oak on the right.

Upon approval, Martin Pierce began making the pattern by turning a length of basswood to create a solid cylinder and then carving the leaf pattern as an 1/8” relief carving on the surface.

The pattern details were accurately captured when cast in bronze but adding a subtle patina helped accentuate the depth and texture of the leaves.

Salon, Entry and Lobby, Post Oak Design Handles. To view other long door grips.

In a trip to the Salon at the Post Oak, my dear friend Emily Clock was able to take pictures of the oak custom handles which can also be seen in the lobby and at the entry doors.

Photo courtesy of Emily Clock. To view other long door grips by Martin Pierce.

For other focal areas including the ballrooms, meeting rooms and board room, Gensler known for their luxury hotel designs, chose a handle from the Morphic collection that was customized to a 60” length

Custom 5’ Morphic Grips Commissioned by Gensler from Martin Pierce’s Morphic collection for the Post Oak Hotel in Houston

Our involvement with the design process was not limited to the dramatic entry statements but continued through to the bathroom shower and door pulls. The Gensler team working with the concept of a gold chain helped chanel Martin’s energy to create the pieces shown blow. After several designs the braid bespoke design took shape as well as a design called ribbon that was loosely based on vertebrae segments rather than a chain. Cast in 316 rust resistant stainless steel and then polished to a fine luster these polished gems complimented the other luxury hardware selected by Gensler.

Hot patinas on bronze

Weed or flower!

When is weed a flower? When the viewer defines it as such.

I, like many amateur gardeners, take great pains to ensure my red trumpet flower plant flourishes but  go to even greater lengths to remove the blue Morning Glory weed.

This odd behavior takes on an irrational element when it comes to the garden at my workshop, as here, I have planted and am nurturing an orange variant of Morning Glory that I look upon as a beautiful flower. Clearly what we define as a weed is completely subjective and arbitrary.

Hot Patinas on bronze

Patinas by contrast are not irrational or subjective but driven by science.

When creating color on bronze we work with various nitrates which we apply to a piece pre-heated by blow torch to a temperature of 180 to 200⁰. The metal is first sand blasted and cleaned and the liquid oxide is then either brushed or sprayed onto the hot surface. Heating the metal enhances and accelerates the chemical reaction that occurs when the oxide is applied. Think of having a facial, the skin pores like the metal surface expands and this allows the nitrate to penetrate the surface. Upon contact the nitrate begins to break down and the oxygen becomes active and begins to react with the copper component of bronze to create a thin patina. The color of the resulting patina depends on the nitrate used with cupric nitrate for blue green hues and ferric nitrate for red orange tones.

As a rule of thumb, hotter temperatures will create more vibrant colors, and the process can be repeated once the surface is completely dry for a deeper richer color.

 The hot patina adds  color and durability when sealed with a UV resistant lacquer or wax. While these sealants help maintain the color of the patina, as with any finish, environmental pollutants like sulfur, chloride and cleaning fluids can reduce their effectiveness and can cause the patina to change.