Keepers of the Craft: Eight Artisans Preserving America’s Building Traditions

In workshops across the country, master craftspeople are quietly continuing the tenets of traditional building. Every day, they dive deep into the wells of their expertise to produce windows, doors, lighting, hardware, moldings, and more with historic accuracy and functionality in mind. 

For this article, we step inside the studios and factories of eight companies whose work proves that age-old craftsmanship is alive and well in a modern world. 

It was lucky for the U.S. that Ian Agrell decided to move from England to Denver in 1988. 

The elected British Master Carver came to this country to teach wood carving, but architects and designers soon recognized his talent, and major projects came his way. Ian founded Agrell Architectural Carving, and the business continues to be well established in the U.S. and U.K. 

Agrell Architectural Carving grew to meet the needs of its clients. The company has always maintained a substantial full-time team, continuing with 18 carvers since the mid-1990s, making it one of the largest groups of experienced, classically trained carvers in the world. The resulting portfolio is a veritable who’s who of high-profile projects, with the largest so far, an elaborate wood paneled library, requiring 60,000 hours.

“We have a large team because timely delivery is essential and integrated with other trades,” explains Ian. “I don’t know of any other classical architectural company that employs so many full-time carvers.”

Ian’s daughter, Kate, has been an integral part of Agrell Architectural Carving. After working in the Bay Area, she returned to the U.K. in 2002 to establish the company’s U.K. branch. She now oversees its international operations. 

Some companies outsource certain aspects of their operations, but not Agrell. Here, all carvings are done by hand using traditional tools of the trade: chisels, gouges, and wood mallets (plus an accommodating bench, notes Agrell with a laugh). Artisans produce hand-carved moldings, corbels, capitals, decorative panels, fire surrounds, furniture, and more. 

“We never use machines except to take down a background. And that’s not just for tradition; it’s because our work is so varied and demanding that using machines is impractical. It’s much faster and more efficient to use skilled carvers,” says Ian, who regularly shares his expertise in design and architectural woodcarving on the Agrell Architectural Carving YouTube channel.

 With more than 50 years of professional experience and 40,000-plus hours of carving logged annually, Agrell is the go-to for ambitious projects with demanding timeframes. It’s the pinnacle of architectural woodcarving. 

At Ball & Ball Lighting & Hardware, metalworking is a family affair. In fact, prior to 1700, Ball ancestors were skilled metalworkers in England, holding an appointment as armor makers to the crown. Now that is company history. 

Bill Ball and his brother, Bob, represent the third generation. Their grandfather and his brother founded the company in 1932, and their father, Whit, ran the company until 1990. From 1932 until the early 2000s, Ball & Ball’s main product was furniture hardware. However, the catalog has always included quality reproductions of antique lighting and door hardware. These two categories have become a focus over the past 30-plus years as the market for 18th-century reproduction furniture declined.

For traditional buildings, door hardware is a small but mighty detail. “It’s the first thing you touch and use,” notes Bill, who himself is an expert metalworker with over 40 years’ experience. Historic lighting designs can complement any aesthetic but look most at home in traditionally styled environments.

“Our lights are handmade to have the character and quality of old-time craftsmanship,” says the owner. “For historic applications, we build lights using solid brass, bronze, copper, pewter, tin, and iron. Our glass is offhand blown where possible. And all fixtures are UL listed and meet current building codes,” he adds. 

Everything is manufactured in Ball & Ball’s boutique plant in Exton, Pennsylvania, complete with a locksmith, blacksmith, foundry, finishing shop, and full machine shop. 

What sets Ball & Ball apart is the owners’ dedication to traditional craft, which is why their creations grace many historically significant buildings, including the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court, James Madison’s Montpelier, and Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.

Bill says: “We copy antique designs using the same techniques, the same materials, the same fabrication methods used historically. We feel that’s the best way to make any reproduction.” 

Cooper Historical Windows grew out of a need. In 1977, Brian Cooper started a company, Early New England Restorations, with the goal of saving historic structures that were unfortunately slated for demolition. Each building would be carefully documented, numbered, and professionally dismantled for future reassembly at a new location. As part of his efforts, he needed a reliable source of historically correct windows. 

“As time went on, energy efficiency was introduced to the conversation. But combining historic accuracy with high performance is something the industry hadn’t seen before, making sourcing optically correct glass in large formats difficult,” recalls Cooper. “So, I hired consultants and figured out how, using very specific controllers, to manufacture beautiful, optically correct glass in a large format.”

Thus, sister company Liberty Restoration Glass was born. Liberty produces glass that matches the look of most cylinder glass from the 1800s through 1920. However, it is always flat, enabling its inclusion in insulated window units. This industry-changing coup meant it would be possible to infuse historic structures with never-before-seen energy efficiency. 

Cooper innovated again and developed a build that replicates the look of putty glaze on divided lites using Accoya wood. Accoya is Cooper’s preferred wood choice due to its exceptional durability, dimensional stability, and eco-friendly credentials that can contribute to LEED certification requirements. 

“The profile has been approved by Beacon Hill in Boston, arguably one of the toughest historic districts out there, and has since been approved by a dozen others,” Cooper explains. 

These achievements are revolutionizing the way architects and builders upgrade historic buildings. Every Cooper Historical Windows order is fully customizable, with argon and krypton gas options and R values ranging up to 22.7. Along with energy efficiency, the various choices provide improved light passage, 100% UV blockage, AAMA rankings of 180 mph wind ratings, and sound attenuation (a necessity in urban environments).  

 Cooper Historical Windows can manufacture new windows, restore existing windows, or execute a hybrid approach. One of its most successful, high-profile restorations was for Yale University. Cooper’s expert team meticulously disassembled and restored 124 windows at Connecticut Hall, built in 1750, the oldest surviving building on campus.

Cooper’s foresight to build his own glass was a game changer. Liberty produces 60,000 square feet of restoration glass annually, with 20,000 going to market and the remainder incorporated into Cooper Historical Windows. 

“We win a lot of jobs based on our glass innovations,” says the founder, adding that the latest news is a partnership with Vitro Glass (specifically its VacuMax™ product) to develop restoration Vacuum Glass.

Many times, clients come to J. P. Weaver with nothing more than fragmented pieces of a ceiling crown or frieze. Then the company’s designers get to work, creating models and molds, filling in the gaps, and recreating the pattern to expertly revive the ornament. 

As the country’s preeminent restorer and conservator of ornamental moldings, J. P. Weaver is adept at piecing together clues from the past. This is evident in one of their most transformative projects, the restoration of California’s State Capitol Building in Sacramento. J. P. Weaver’s then president, Lenna Tyler Kast, was instrumental in restoring the building to its original splendor without the help of any original plans or drawings. 

Using a small, faded photograph of the governor’s office from a 1931 Christmas party, she identified the size of the room and scaled the design. J. P. Weaver artisans built huge molds of the surviving designs and replicated plaster moldings. The effort—completed with the building envelope buttressed for safety—was integral to the restoration, preserving one of the state’s most sophisticated historic buildings. 

Another chapter in the company’s history began when Stephanie Croce walked into the Glendale, California, studio. She was immediately struck by the beauty of the craft, and, armed with an art history degree from NYU, asked Tyler Kast to apprentice. The partnership was so successful that Croce is now co-owner with Tyler Kast’s son, Rob, and stepson, Adam.  

Besides restorations, the company is adept at achieving any desired architectural style via new cast moldings (its catalog includes over 10,000 catalogued ornamental pieces). It executes these castings in either plaster, resin, or composition ornament while accommodating lights, sprinklers, and smoke detectors. Petitsin flex molding is its go-to for challenging ceiling shapes. 

Ornamental plaster flourished from the 18th century until the 1940s, and the accomplishments of plasterers in the U.S., Britain, Italy, and France are deserving of respect and preservation. Thanks to J. P. Weaver, their work lives on.

When Stuart Olesker, an engineer by trade, set out to create a lighting factory, he could never have predicted that it would grow into one of the country’s most distinguished custom lighting manufacturers.

Together with his wife, Jackie, Stuart established a factory in Los Angeles, California, in 1978. Today, their daughter, Sharyn, serves as vice president of manufacturing, proudly continuing the family legacy.

In collaboration with architects, interior designers, and various trades, Lantern Masters specializes in the design and manufacture of an extensive line of interior and exterior lighting along with custom fixtures crafted from high-quality materials. One of its distinct specialties is replicating historic fixtures, utilizing traditional forging techniques, and creating ornamentation through processes such as lost wax casting, stamping, inscription, and appliqués.

Thanks to its architectural-specific focuses, Lantern Masters often produces lighting in styles of Spanish and Mediterranean Revivals, drawing inspiration from architects such as Addison Mizner, as well as Italian and French designs. Nevertheless, the company is fully capable of executing designs from any era for projects around the globe.

While the L.A. manufacturer excels in historic lighting, it also embraces the idea of modernizing classic designs. “Some clients prefer a fresher aesthetic for their period pieces, so instead of ornate art glass, we might choose clear glass, or we may apply a contemporary matte finish,” Sharyn explains, emphasizing the importance of balance.

For instance, the company designed large sconces for the Pacific Electric Building in L.A., which was being renovated into modern lofts. Working closely with the architect, the lighting experts crafted two types of sconces (one primary design is six feet tall and a secondary sconce is four feet tall) that harmonize with the building’s Beaux-Arts style. The designs evoke age-old Victorian torches but with a contemporary flair.

“We have an incredible group of artisan craftspeople who have been with us for a long time,” shares Sharyn about the company’s continued success. “One of the most rewarding moments is when we finally see our work come to life.”

At first, Remains Lighting Company was an off-the-beaten-path antique resource. Owner David Calligeros—who has an art history-focused degree and a natural curiosity for how old things tick—focused on architectural salvage of everything from bathtubs to stone cartouches. 

“Eventually, David decided to specialize in lighting, and back in the early 2000s, this was a boon to the business because of the renewed interest in classical and traditional interiors at the time,” says Leeann Latsch, vice-president of business development, who has been with the company for eight years. “He’s still very involved and is our main engineer and estimator.”

Inside its 25,000-square-foot, LEED Gold-certified factory in Brooklyn, the company boasts a team of lighting designers, engineers, and artisans who conceive of and handcraft every fixture. Besides its Brooklyn factory, Remains has in-house representation in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and by-appointment at its flagship Manhattan showroom.

Remains craftspeople have restored thousands of historic fixtures and approach projects with a conservation mindset. They prioritize careful cleaning, structural repair, and preservation of original finishes, when possible, while updating fixtures with code-compliant, modern wiring.  

“Complex restorations, like a church or state house, seek us out because of our large-scale production potential but also for our ability to safeguard vintage pieces. It requires a special hand to take care of antique lights, and that’s become a niche of ours,” notes Latsch.

Beyond preservation, Remains also executes bespoke commissions, collaborating with architects and designers to develop new fixtures from scratch, adapt existing designs, or produce new work “in the spirit of antiques” across luxury residential, institutional, religious, hospitality, and commercial settings. 

From its Brooklyn manufacturing facility, this lighting resource delivers on the details. Each fixture displays meticulous craft. The result is enduring beauty.

Vintage Doors, situated in New York between the foothills of the Adirondacks and the St. Lawrence River, started out making solid wood screen doors as a one-room operation in the back of a hardware store. Since its start in 1990, it grew slowly but steadily and began to also produce high-quality, solid wood exterior and interior doors in a variety of configurations.

When the founder decided to retire several years ago, he sold the business to current owner Gabe Ockrin. Ockrin happily agreed to a long transition period. “My predecessor was here every day, and we worked alongside each other to ensure that transfer of knowledge. The existing crew stayed on, too,” he adds, “which was essential since these doors are handmade with great attention to detail.”

Built around a shared love of woodworking and architecture, the Vintage Doors team brings together diverse backgrounds in woodworking, engineering, design, and hospitality. These disciplines shape how the doors are made and how clients are served. The mix informs a culture where precision and craftsmanship go hand in hand with strong relationships, thoughtful problem-solving, and a commitment to delivering beyond expectations.

In the New York facility, a small team of craftspeople builds all the doors from scratch, using traditional rail and stile construction. The rough lumber is kiln dried and milled in house, with close attention paid to color and grain. Vintage Doors uses two traditional joinery methods: centuries-old mortise and tenon and dowels, which became popular during the late 1800s. 

No matter the style—a Gothic door for one of the country’s oldest universities, a Dutch door for a historic farmhouse, or a church entry—Ockrin says his goal is to help customers realize a product that feels and looks like it’s always belonged.

When it comes to a successful preservation or new-old construction, the details matter, and doors are high up on that list. “We always say that the door is a home’s most touched architectural element,” notes Ockrin. “There’s nothing like pushing open a solid wood door, its weight and feel. It’s an important piece of any project, and I’m glad to be a part of that.”

At Vintage Millwork & Restoration, custom wood doors are a defining expertise. 

“We do take on select millwork projects, and there are times when the two go hand in hand, especially on larger or historic projects. But doors are where our expertise and passion truly lie,” explains General Manager Amos Fisher.

For Vintage Millwork & Restoration, details are not optional; they are foundational. The goal is to produce doors that feel authentic to the period while still meeting modern performance standards. 

“Profiles, joinery, wood species, glass, and hardware preparation—every element needs to respect the original design,” contends Fisher, adding, “Accuracy matters not just for appearance, but for integrity.”

All work is executed in-house at the company’s Paradise, Pennsylvania, facility, where a team of 20 skilled craftsmen oversees each stage of production. From milling and joinery to finishing, every step remains under one roof, ensuring rigorous quality control and consistency. 

By maintaining hands-on oversight throughout the process, the firm delivers custom doors and select millwork that meet the exacting demands of architects, preservationists, and builders committed to traditional design. TB