A brazier is a metalworker who specializes in brass. Brass, one of the first metal alloys discovered, has been used since prehistory, making the brazier one of the first metalworkers. Brass has been used to make architectural and industrial items, as well as luxury items like jewelry and musical instruments, for centuries. Brass is still widely used for these items, as well as machine and electrical parts, in modern times, but the term brazier has fallen out of favor.
Brass is a base metal alloy made combining copper and zinc. Because the metal is malleable and has a low melting point, it was easy to shape before the invention of modern industrial metalworking methods. Because bronze, a similar alloy made up of copper and tin, was more durable than brass, it was used to make weapons and armor. The brazier was an important artisan in early society, and brass became the metal of choice for decorative items.
Braziers created public works, coins, and vessels for eating and drinking from the Roman era to the Middle Ages. Brass monuments adorned the tombs of statesmen and important historical figures in European countries such as England. These long-lasting decorations provided valuable insights into ancient art and life to subsequent generations. Making “rubbings” of these brass sculptures, which copied their shapes onto paper sheets and became cherished heirlooms in their own right, became fashionable.
Refinements in the brass-making process allowed the brazier to create fine art, watches, scientific equipment, and musical instruments during the Renaissance. Brass was prized for its gold-like appearance, despite the fact that it was less expensive and more practical for most applications than gold. Brass is corrosion and oxidation resistant, making it ideal for ship fittings and plumbing. It was used in factories dealing with flammable materials after the Industrial Revolution because it does not produce sparks like other metals.
The brazier remained useful into modern times, but he was absorbed into a larger class of metalworkers and was no longer recognized as a singular figure. Brass is used to make electronics, machinery, shell casings for firearms ammunition, and even zippers in the twenty-first century. Braziers, on the other hand, are only those brass workers who have a strong sense of heritage or professional pride. Most refer to themselves as something else, with little awareness of the long history of brass artisans who came before them.