figures for someone to mold into metal. Their ornate espag- nolette bolts are a personal favorite of style icon Iris Apfel. And Broadway costume designer William Ivey Long once listed this as one of his favorite places in the world. But it’s behind and above this storefront where the mag- ic happens. At the back of the first floor is the pattern room that held those vintage molds for Ford’s Detroit home. Meanwhile, chemistry is bubbling away upstairs. In this very building, molds are made, and metal is heated and poured into these molds to create hardware. After each piece is poured and fitted, the process of filing down the rough edges and crafting the detailed finish begins. Skilled artisans use hammers and a collec- tion of chisels to create depth, shadow, pattern, and other enhancements to the surface using a technique called “chasing.” Their hands move with practiced certainty, each firm-yet-controlled strike of the hammer seemingly reveal- ing another millimeter of detail. It can be tremendously time-consuming, but one team member explains that they are doing what people have always done in the process of making art: bending light. “It’s exciting to contribute to the evolution of the ONE handle with our historic techniques,” says P.E. Guerin Vice President Martin Grubman. “The hand-hammering creates a refined yet highly tactile finish, dappled all over with spar- kling facets. This is a true celebration of handcraft.”
It is amazing to think that these very same artisans—in some cases at stations where people have been carefully shaping metal for over a century—are the ones who chase the details into each Kallista ONE hand-hammered handle. Kallista may not have been founded until 1979, but through this partnership they are imparting 167 years of care and craftsmanship into the ONE collection—a detail about which any homeowner can be proud. Lower photos on this page by the author. Other photog- raphy for this story courtesy of Kallista. ■
P.E. Guerin’s team puts finishing touches on the every Kallista ONE faucet handle.
A skilled craftsperson might work on chasing one ornate knob for a full week.
P.E. Guerin is responsible for 167 years of superb craftsmanship.
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