In order to be placed in this category, all railings must contain custom hand forged elements.

This interior stair railing was designed and created inside the Maynard Studios Inc. shop. From the basement-to-third floor, the stairs tower a total of +/- 45 linear feet in length. The primary material used was steel, the secondary material used was bronze. All were hand forged. The railing incorporates large, solid round forged newel posts with balusters that taper from rectangular cross sections at the bottom to round at the top. Each baluster goes all the way down to meet the treads and floor. Bronze accents were added throughout the design, and the hand grip is solid bronze which was been forged to a convex shape and ran the full length of the railing. It took five employees working full-time and a total of 12 weeks to create this railing. For the installation, the team had to travel to Annapolis, Maryland. The railing is finished with a clear enamel and wax finish.

Silver Winner:
Medwedeff Forge & Design
Murphysboro, Illinois

This 49' Grand Stair Case Railing is for a remodeled Victorian home built in 1880. The fabricator's design is a blend of contemporary forms and techniques with traditional methods; riveted and forged elements of the period. The cap rail is made of solid 1.25" round bar that was hammered to 1" thick under a Nazel 3B. The scrolls were forged from .5" sq bar. The ginkgo leafs were laser cut from .25" plate and extensively worked under the 3B and by hand on the anvil, leaving no trace of the original mill surface. The bold 3D forms were laser cut and then formed hot in a series of jigs. The patterns and geometry of these parts plus the six very unusual jigs required to twist and bend them were incredibly challenging to design. Fitting the puzzle together and maintaining the 4" rule was a painstaking process for the team. The finish is an oxidized patina and lacquer.

It took approximately 1,200 hours to complete this project.

This stair railing is made of Low-Carbon Steel by skillful forged and precision works. The post of the railing looks like a dragon, which is the traditional and lofty-position symbol of China. This railing has a smooth shape, well-matched of different material specifications, exquisite and stereo leaves, which make look of the railing like that of a boutique. It is not only a functional piece, but it's safe. This railing adopts different kinds of material specifications of Low Carbon Steel, 38*38˜10*10 bar, 40*40 and 100*100 tube, iron leaves and 1855Q, etc. Many processes were used to fabricate this railing, but the railing was mainly forged. The first and most important step is to make a railing template and get the exact measurements. Forging is the most crucial and professional part. Forged leaves with veins, strict curves and degrees, smooth lines of the whole railing and so on - these all have a huge effect on the railing. The stair railing is finished via sandblasting, spraying zinc, spraying paint by using unique paint from Loyal Wrought Iron Co. Ltd, which makes it elegant and protects the railing against rust. The railing was designed by the president and sales manager of the company.

It took approximately 320 hours to complete the work.