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Virginia Metalcrafters'
museum relationships are at the core of the company's culture and mission. An early company slogan, " Proud to be 200 years behind the times", underscores VM's pride in the craft skills of its employees and commitment to an age old hand process which creates items that are not only beautiful but which have the intrinsic values of something truly made by hand.
The making of museum reproductions is particularly appropriate for VM because
they make products with the same skills and processes that were used hundreds of years ago.
Below are detailed the museums and restorations with which Virginia Metalcrafters is proud to have reproduction licenses. Under these licenses
they produce 3 classes of product; Reproductions, which actually duplicate the original in both materials and method of manufacture,
Adaptations, which embody an original image but change color or construction to suit a 21st Century life style, and
Commemorative Pieces, which commemorate the museum or its images, but which make no attempt to duplicate an original antique.
In return for the right to use the museum's collection and name, Virginia Metalcrafters pays a royalty on each piece sold. These
monies are used by the museums to forward their educational and restoration goals.
The Brass
Gallery carries the full line of Virginia Metalcrafters' museum affiliated
products. Click on the underlined links or on the pictures to go
directly to our selection of items for each organization.
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In 1951, Virginia Metalcrafters began its licensing program with
Colonial Williamsburg, the pioneering restoration that would inspire many others to follow. The first restored buildings were opened to the public in 1932, and since then the restoration has grown to encompass the entire 18th-century town with over 500 buildings. In 1936, Colonial Williamsburg began an innovative program to bring high quality reproductions of antiques in its collections to the public.
The Brass Gallery offers the full line of both Williamsburg
Reproductions and Williamsburg Commemorative
Pieces. |
| Centered on the Mall in Washington, D.C., The
Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest complex of museums and art galleries, with facilities throughout the world. Established by Congress in 1846, the Smithsonian possesses holdings in every area of human interest. |
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Often described as one of our nation's foremost architectural masterpieces, Thomas Jefferson's
Monticello remains a symbol of its creator's ingenuity and breadth of interests. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, Inc., a private, non-profit organization, has maintained and operated this important historic property since 1923. |
| Historic
Newport, Rhode Island, represents one of the most extraordinary cross-sections of American architecture in the nation. From the Nichols-Walton-Hunter House (1748) to the opulent mansions of the "Gilded Age", Newport's homes provide a unique perspective spanning 250 years of art and architecture. |
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Old
Salem, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was founded in 1766 as a planned community where Moravian craftsmen could make and sell their wares. In 1950, Old Salem, Inc. was chartered as a non-profit organization to preserve and restore the town. |
| Mount
Vernon, the stately home of our first president, George Washington, is located on the west bank of the Potomac River in Mount Vernon, Virginia. The home is open to the public and is administered by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining Washington's home, library and collections. |
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Opened in 1946,
Old Sturbridge Village in south central Massachusetts captures the everyday life of a small New England town during the years 1790-1840. The Village is an outdoor living history museum and emphasizes collections, exhibits and programs that preserve and re-create the 19th-century lifestyle of the inland New England region. |
| The
Winterthur Museum has what many consider to be one of the largest and most distinguished collections of American decorative art in the world. It was the life-long work of Henry Francis du Pont that transformed his family estate in Delaware into an astounding collection of more than 89,000 objects. |
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Founded in 1670,
Historic Charleston, South Carolina had become a major seaport by the 18th Century; with its vast plantation wealth, Charleston was the cultural center of the South in the 1700's. In 1947, the Historic Charleston Foundation was founded to meet the challenge of maintaining and preserving this magnificent city.
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| Considered by many to be the nation's leading maritime museum,
Mystic Seaport was founded in 1929. The museum is dedicated to preserving and expanding our understanding of the sea's influence on American life. |
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The National
Trust for Historic Preservation is a nationwide educational organization that encourages Americans to participate in preserving the best of their heritage. Chartered by Congress in 1949, the Trust cares for historic properties around the country, and has over 225,000 members |
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