Sunday, January 6, 2008

Hardware



Hardware stores were always my favorite places as a kid. I'd accompany my father on his weekly expedition to fix one of his household repairs and I'd roam the store freely while my father went through his list.

In those days, the stores were small, with a spectacular array of bins which displayed fascinating and exotic items. I'd pick up a hinge and see how it worked. I'd look through the bins of screws and marvel at the spiral threads winding around a piece of brass with a beautiful notched head. Sometimes my father would allow me to purchase an array of nuts and bolts, slide locks, hinges and anything moveable. We would travel back to his workshop and put together a "mystery box". These boxes were primarily for my nephew and consisted of little doors with locks and hidden compartments. These were mainly for my nephew's amusement, but I was enthralled in their creation.

To this day, I can still get lost for hours at Lowe's or Home Depot. I am fascinated by doorknobs, drawer pulls, light switches and towel bars. There is a much greater selection these days and the hardware now is imported from all over the world. But the sensual flair of a hand-crafted or limited production piece of hardware made in the USA has been replaced by mass production, cheap craftsmanship and inexpensive materials from overseas. The designs are great, but the craftsmanship is truly lacking.

I used to tell people that I'd put jewelry on anything, anywhere. Now I think I'd just like to put metal and stones on everything in my house so that I can fulfill my ergonomic fantasy of the smooth metal against the grain of wood or metal. I yearn to experience something that is made by hand with intent and precision. Something that gets better with age.

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