It was 1850 when Enrico Cassina, a young Milanese artisan and expert in bronze work, decided to open his own workshop. Until that time artisans and blacksmiths had created brass handles and furniture fittings individually by hand as requested by their customers. Enrico Cassina believed that by using carefully crafted moulds and expert finishes he could create highly sophisticated designs more efficiently. It was a lucky guess: the name Enrico Cassina became widely known in the lively Milan of the late 18th century and his handles became an essential symbol of the city’s elegant buildings.