rare 1870's ornamental cast bronze exterior residential doorbell pull handle backplate or escutcheon designed and fabricated by the metallic compression casting company, boston, mass. the highly detailed solid bronze backplate contains a nicely aged surface patina. the backplate containing two opposed screw holes for mounting purposes. metallic compression manufactured "house trimmings", such as knobs, hinges, escutcheons, bell pulls, along with dies for printing wall paper, and for bookbinders, and a variety of articles. the inventions of charles and michael smith, introduced with complete success into practical operation by the metallic compression casting company at their foundry in bomerville, near boston, revolutionized metallurgic art, so far as casting is concerned. by employing the patented process developed by smith and mason, metal was taken from the mould, not with a rough surface, as in all the heretofore known modes of casting, but as smooth and perfectly finished as a coin or medal struck by a die.