Brass from the Past

Brass from thePast is not only a historyof the use and production of brass, but more broadly an insight into thejourney of this important metal in the context of a changing and modernisingworld.The book follows theevolution of brass from its earliest forms around 2500 BC through toindustrialised production in the eighteenth century. The story is told in thecontext of the people, economies, cultures, trade and technologies that havethemselves defined the alloy and its spread around the world. It exploresinnovations, such as the distillation of zinc, that have improved the qualityand ease of production. From national or religious priorities to exhaustion ofraw material supplies, the themes from the past are echoed in our own worldtoday. In the later centuries, the book shines a light on some of the morepersonal aspects of people, businesses and relationships that have influencedindustry and its progress.Above all the bookreflects the enthusiasm, not just of the author, but of all brass enthusiastsacross the world. The search for information has involved scrambling downBohemian ravines, stumbling over brass-works debris under trees, and studyingpre-civil-war artefacts in Virginia. Academics and experts from across theworld have provided information, from China to Qatar and the USA to the CzechRepublic.Brass is a strongand attractive metal, which has been used to create items of great beauty andutility. It is hoped that the reader will come to value the qualities of thismaterial which has become a passion for so many people around the world.