My thanks are especially due to Mr. Guy Laking, M.V.O., F.S.A., who, although in the midst of the removal of the London Museum from Kensington Palace to its new home at Stafford House, has kindly supplied several photographs of scarce metal objects. Special drawings have been made of several representative objects in the Guildhall Museum, through the courtesy of the Curator. Permission has been granted to reproduce photographs and illustrations of objects in several of the more important provincial Museums, and in several instances some very interesting information has been given by the Curators. Among others I should like to give the names of Mr. F. R. Rowley, Curator of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum at Exeter; Mr. T. Sheppard, F.G.S., F.S.A.Scot., Curator of the Municipal Museum, Hull; Dr. Hoyle, Director of the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; Mr. J. A. Charlton Deas, F.R.Hist.S., Director of the Museum and Art Gallery, Sunderland; Mr. Thos. Midgley, F.R.Met.S., Chadwick Museum, Bolton; Mr. R. Rathbun, Assistant Secretary of the United States National Museum, Washington; and the Town Clerk of Winchester. I am further indebted to Messrs. Glendining & Co., Ltd., who have given me permission to reproduce some beautiful Oriental metal-work which has recently passed under the hammer in their London Galleries; also to Messrs. Herbert Benham & Co., for a drawing of the copper ball and cross of St. Paul's; and to Mr. Amor, of St. James's, S.W., The Edward Gallery, of King Street, S.W., and Mr. Chas. Wayte, of Edenbridge, who have given me photographs of rare pieces of art metal-work. I have endeavoured to refrain from technicalities or dry descriptions; but some of the chapters have necessarily a touch of the workshop and the foundry about them. I can assure my readers, however, that the "metallic ring" is inseparable from copper and brass, and that the pleasures of possession will be added to by the better understanding it will impart to those who collect and admire similar objects to those referred to in this work. FRED. W. BURGESS. LONDON, 1914. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE 7 GLOSSARY 23 CHAPTER I THE METAL AND ITS ALLOYS 35 Ancient bronze--The bronzes of Greece, Rome, and Eastern nations--Copper for enamels--The brass of commerce--Bell metal--The sources of copper--The making of brass--Copper as an alloy--The characteristics of metal. CHAPTER II THE HUNTING GROUND 51 In buried cities--Turned up by the plough--Among Saxon and Norman remains--In hidden chambers--In local museums--Dealers' shops--The engraver's art.