Materials

Bronze speaks every language

Materials

Bronze, brass and stainless steel are the starting materials for every creation from the maison Charles. They are the maison’s native language, understood and refined over more than a century. Generous in character, they lend themselves readily to combinations with other materials. Alabaster, marble, ceramic, glass, rock crystal… Across the catalogue and in bespoke commissions, each pairing creates its own interplay of light, texture and warmth.

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Bronze

Bronze is the founding material of the maison Charles. It gave the maison its identity as an art-bronze maker, and continues to shape its creative ambition.

An alloy of copper and tin, bronze has been worked by sculptors for millennia. Few metals are more expressive: in its molten…

Bronze is the founding material of the maison Charles. It gave the maison its identity as an art-bronze maker, and continues to shape its creative ambition.

An alloy of copper and tin, bronze has been worked by sculptors for millennia. Few metals are more expressive: in its molten state, it captures the finest contours of a mould, making it the material of choice for the most delicate ornament.

At the maison Charles, bronze is cast, chased by hand, turned and polished, then gilded, varnished or patinated. Dense and richly responsive, it ages beautifully and is exceptionally durable. Carefully maintained, a bronze piece will endure through the ages, passed down from one generation to the next.

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Brass

Close to bronze, yet distinct in character, brass - an alloy of copper and zinc - has a luminous tone. At the maison Charles, it features in pieces such as l’Orgues, l’Océanide, Fragment, Solstice ou Ajonc, as well as in finely worked structural elements, lampshades and bases.

It…

It can be polished to a mirror finish, brushed to a soft satin sheen or vibrated to achieve a matt surface. Like bronze, it can be given any of the finishes in the maison Charles repertoire.

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Stainless Steel

Jacques Charles introduced stainless steel into the maison’s vocabulary in the 1960s. An alloy of iron, chromium and nickel, it brings a crisp, bright, silvery light to a piece. At the maison Charles, it appears in Espadon, Manta, Flamme, Rouleau, Tambour, Voile.

It is worked…

It is worked with the same gestures as brass: cut, polished or satin-finished before assembly, then bent, welded and repolished before being assembled by hand. Depending on the desired surface, it can also be brushed or sandblasted.

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Secondary Materials

At the maison Charles, bronze, brass and stainless steel are sometimes paired with other materials.

Alabaster diffuses a warm glow through its natural veining. It features in pieces such as Fragment or Oiseau piégé. Rock crystal, formed through the slow crystallisation of quartz…

At the maison Charles, bronze, brass and stainless steel are sometimes paired with other materials.

Alabaster diffuses a warm glow through its natural veining. It features in pieces such as Fragment or Oiseau piégé. Rock crystal, formed through the slow crystallisation of quartz, brings brilliance to the lamps Feuille d'Eau Œuf Cristal, Myrzades or Tripode Cristaux. Marble brings weight, veining and coolness to the tops of the Cheval et Phalène consoles ; It can also take the place of brass in the bases of the lamps Fusil, Lorenzo, Aloes and Cheval.

Mouth-blown, moulded or cut to measure, glass dresses the Bubbles series, the curves of the Voile sconces and the Aloès sconce. Ceramic expands this palette with the depth of a glaze. It appears in Kasan or Jaipur, sharing with bronze the transformative effects of fire.

To discover our materials, discuss a project or receive guidance, the maison Charles team will be pleased to assist.

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