Fontaine Art Locksmithing cultivates the art of decorative locksmithing

When purchasing or renovating an apartment or house, the future decoration is one of the first steps on the list of tasks to be carried out. While the choice of colors and the type of coverings are immediately obvious and quickly resolved, the selection of accessories - although essential - is not a priority. And yet, these forgotten accessories are called lever handles, knobs or pull handles, window or door handles, cremones and knockers. In stylish locksmithing, they are among those utilitarian objects that can become decorative and tastefully define the ambiance of an interior.

In order to perfectly integrate period furniture into today's architecture or to offer a unique cachet to joinery that is too often identical, the Serrurerie d'Art Fontaine, in the heart of Paris a few meters from the Louvre Museum, has contributed for three centuries to making its know-how a true Art of decorative locksmithing.

Thanks to the unparalleled richness of its collections, Serrurerie d'Art Fontaine customizes doors, windows, and even dresser knobs with refinement. You just need to know which style to adopt to create overall harmony. 

The Art Nouveau style

Art Nouveau is an artistic movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that draws on the aesthetic of curved lines. Born as a reaction against the excesses of excessive industrialization and the sclerotic reproduction of grand styles, Art Nouveau is characterized by inventiveness, the presence of rhythms, colors, and ornamentation, inspired by trees, flowers, insects, and animals, and which introduces sensitivity into everyday decor.

In France, Art Nouveau was also called by its detractors the "noodle" style because of the characteristic arabesque shapes, or the "metro" style, because of the Parisian metro entrances created in 1900 by Hector Guimard.

Before the First World War, this movement evolved towards a more geometric style, characteristic of the artistic movement that would take over: Art

Decoration...

The Art Deco style

As a continuation of Art Nouveau, Art Deco was an extremely influential artistic movement especially in architecture and design.

Born in the 1930s, the word "Art Deco" refers to the style that triumphed at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925. Focusing on pure and essentially geometric forms, Art Deco was inspired by the artistic movement of the time, Cubism, the art of Africa and ancient Egypt, as well as French traditions such as the Louis XV and Restoration styles.

René Prou ​​(1889-1947)

Among decorators, there is hardly a man more enamored of novelty than René Prou. A very fine decorator, of undeniable distinction, the author of a number of store installations in Paris and private interiors, he was intensely imbued with classical beauty and logic.

Ruhlmann (1879-1933)

A genius designer, Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann is one of the greatest masters of 1925th-century decorative arts. Introducing classical modernity into furniture, his talent was revealed at the XNUMX International Exhibition of Decorative Arts, where a truly sumptuous yet measured Ruhlmann style emerged. A French decorator, he embodies elegant forms, discreet ornamentation, and technical perfection.

Fontaine Art Locksmith: a little history...

Founded in 1740 during the Age of Enlightenment, Serrurerie d'Art Fontaine has contributed to the international renown of French decorative locksmithing for over three centuries. Knobs, handles, and doorknobs of all styles are true works of art, symbols of French craftsmanship and refinement.

Maison Fontaine offers an unparalleled wealth of styles and finishes in terms of decorative locks and coordinated accessories (levers, door and window knobs, cremones, banister vases and espagnolette bolts). The expertise of the French master craftsmen "chiselers, polishers, gilders", who create the pieces from the 20.000 molds carefully preserved for centuries, guarantees the reissue and authentic replica of the style models.

To meet the wishes of its most prestigious clients, Maison Fontaine reissues stylish pieces that enchant the interior decoration of residences, villas, palaces and hotels.

Near the Louvre Pyramid, Maison Fontaine, the oldest Art Locksmith in Europe, offers an exceptionally rich collection of 30.000 models ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. 

The rarest items cover three centuries of know-how: Renaissance, Louis XIV, Louis XV,

Louis XVI, Directoire, Empire, and Contemporary. Maison Fontaine surrounded itself with prestigious designers who created exclusive luxury Art Nouveau and Art Deco pieces. Puiforcat, Ruhlmann, Sue et Mare, Bourdelle, Prou, Maillol, and many other artists revolutionized the interior design of the time by creating unique designs.

The multiplicity of models, the diversity of styles, the beauty of the materials, are the richness of the Fontaine collection which is presented in the historic exhibition rooms of the Serrurerie d'Art Fontaine, rue de Rivoli (Paris 1st).