Bronze, the alloy that gave its name to an entire age of human civilization, has continued to evolve and find new applications well into the modern era. While the Bronze Age may have ended millennia ago, the material itself has proven remarkably adaptable to the demands of industrialization, electrification, and technological advancement. From the thunderous bronze cannons of the Napoleonic Wars to the microscopic bronze contacts in today’s electronic devices, this ancient alloy has continuously reinvented itself.

The story of bronze in the modern era is not merely one of continuity but of innovation, as metallurgists have developed new bronze formulations to meet the specific challenges of maritime exploration, industrial machinery, electrical systems, and aerospace engineering.

A History Of Bronze In The Modern Era (1800 – Present Day)

The modern history of bronze represents a remarkable transformation from traditional applications in artillery and bells to sophisticated alloys essential for industrial bearings, marine propellers, electrical components, and high-tech applications. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, metallurgists developed specialized bronze formulations including phosphor bronze, aluminum bronze, silicon bronze, and beryllium bronze, each engineered to meet specific industrial challenges. This chronology traces bronze’s evolution from the age of steam through the digital revolution, documenting how this ancient alloy has remained indispensable to technological progress.

Chronology

• 1794 – Philip Vaughan receives first patent for ball bearings with bronze components, revolutionizing mechanical motion and laying groundwork for Industrial Revolution machinery [1, 2, 3, 4]
• 1800 – Napoleon Bonaparte increases proportion of bronze 12-pounder cannons, his “belles filles” (beautiful daughters), in French artillery reserves [5, 6]
• 1803 – French artillery replaces 4-pounder bronze cannons with 6-pounders for improved striking power using captured Austrian and Prussian pieces [7]
• 1807 – British Royal Navy struggles with bronze cannon procurement during Napoleonic Wars as demand outstrips supply; Ottoman “Dardanelles Gun” (cast 1464 by Munir Ali, used at 1453 siege of Constantinople) fired at British fleet causing 28 casualties [8, 9, 10]
• 1813 – Napoleon fields 600 bronze artillery pieces at Battle of Leipzig, achieving ratio of three guns per 1,000 soldiers [12]
• 1816 – Borgard system of bronze cannon design remains standard in British military, with pieces classified by weight of shot fired; British arsenals continue producing bronze cannons despite experiments with iron, as bronze proves more reliable for naval warfare [11, 13]
• 1822 – George Marshall publishes “Marshall’s Practical Marine Gunnery” emphasizing accuracy of bronze naval cannons over weight of broadside [8]
• 1826 – Andrew Meneely establishes Meneely Bell Foundry in West Troy, New York, beginning American tradition of bronze bell casting [14]
• 1830s – Bronze bearings become essential components in railway locomotives and industrial machinery during railroad expansion [2, 15]
• 1840s – Development of bronze propellers begins as steamships require more efficient propulsion than paddle wheels [16]
• 1850 – First submarine telegraph cable laid across English Channel uses copper conductors with bronze components in terminal equipment [17, 18]
• 1856 – McShane Bell Foundry established in Baltimore, becoming major American bronze bell manufacturer [19]
• 1857 – U.S. Army adopts Model 1857 Napoleon bronze field gun weighing 1,227 pounds, 500 pounds lighter than previous model [20]
• 1858 – First transatlantic telegraph cable completed using bronze components in terminal equipment and connections [17, 21, 22]
• 1860s – American Civil War sees extensive use of bronze Napoleon 12-pounder field guns proving effective at Gettysburg [8, 20]
• 1865 – British Admiralty adopts Armstrong’s bronze Rifled Muzzle Loader (RML) design for naval artillery [23]
• 1866 – Second successful transatlantic cable laid with improved bronze fittings and terminal equipment [17, 22]
• 1867 – Sultan Abdul Aziz gifts Queen Victoria the bronze “Dardanelles Gun” (cast 1464 by Munir Ali, used at 1453 siege of Constantinople) weighing 17 tons [9, 10]
• 1869 – Jules Suriray patents radial ball bearings with bronze components for bicycle applications [4]
• 1870 – Georges Montefiore-Levi and Karl Künzel invent phosphor bronze in Vienna, improving corrosion resistance and casting quality for electrical contacts [24, 25, 26]
• 1870s – Steel bell production attempted in England, but abandoned as bronze proves superior for acoustic properties [27]
• 1880 – Fourth transatlantic cable installed with bronze terminal equipment at Heart’s Content station [17]
• 1882 – McShane Bell Company casts bronze church bell still ringing today, demonstrating bronze’s durability [19]
• 1890s – Bronze adopted widely for marine propellers as ships grow larger and faster [28, 29]
• 1900s – Aluminum bronze alloys developed containing 9-14% aluminum for superior strength and corrosion resistance [30, 31]
• 1907 – Sven Wingquist invents self-aligning ball bearings using bronze components, revolutionizing bearing design [1]
• 1910s – Nickel aluminum bronze developed for marine applications with enhanced seawater resistance [32, 33]
• 1913 – Pierre Durville advances aluminum bronze casting with tilting ladle method, solving oxide inclusion problems [31]
• 1917 – American Bearing Manufacturers Association formed to coordinate bronze bearing production for World War I [1, 2]
• 1920s – Silicon bronze developed for welding applications, containing 3% silicon [34, 35, 36, 37]
• 1930s – Beryllium bronze invented containing 0.5-3% beryllium for springs and electrical contacts in aviation instruments [38, 39, 40]
• 1939 – Italy introduces bronzital coins (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel) for 5 and 10 centesimi [30]
• 1940s – World War II drives massive demand for bronze bearings; single B-17 bomber requires over 1,000 bronze bearings [41, 42]
• 1944 – Allied bombing of Schweinfurt targets Nazi Germany’s bronze bearing production facilities crucial to war effort [42]
• 1951 – UNIVAC I computer uses phosphor bronze tape for magnetic data storage [26]
• 1958 – Seagram Building becomes first skyscraper entirely sheathed in architectural bronze (3.2 million pounds) [43]
• 1960s – COMPAC submarine cable system uses bronze components in repeaters for trans-Pacific communications [44]
• 1967 – Italy finalizes bronzital alloy composition for lira coins (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel) [30]
• 1974 – D’Addario markets phosphor bronze as superior acoustic guitar string material [45]
• 1980s – Development of optical submarine cables continues using bronze components in housings [44]
• 1984 – ANZCAN cable replaces COMPAC with bronze components in solid-state repeaters [44]
• 1990s – Nordic Gold developed as aluminum bronze for European coinage (89% copper, 5% aluminum, 5% zinc, 1% tin) [30]
• 1995 – PACRIM cable system deployed with bronze fittings for Pacific communications [44]
• 2000s – Aluminum bronze increasingly used for desalination plant components due to seawater resistance [46]
• 2001 – Olin Corporation develops improved phosphor bronze alloy for electronic connectors [24, 26]
• 2010s – Beryllium copper (bronze alloy containing 0.5-3% beryllium) battery contacts become standard in consumer electronics despite health concerns [39, 40]
• 2020s – Research into beryllium-free bronze alloys seeks safer alternatives while maintaining performance [47]
• 2024 – Bronze bearings remain essential in electric vehicle motors and wind turbines for renewable energy [2, 48]

Final Thoughts

The journey of bronze through the modern era reveals not merely the persistence of an ancient material, but its remarkable capacity for reinvention. From the smoke of 19th-century battlefields to the clean rooms of semiconductor fabrication, bronze has adapted to each new technological challenge through innovative alloying.

The development of phosphor bronze, aluminum bronze, silicon bronze, and beryllium bronze represents more than metallurgical advancement—it demonstrates humanity’s ability to transform traditional materials for unprecedented applications. As we face new challenges in renewable energy, electronics miniaturization, and sustainable manufacturing, bronze continues to evolve.

Current research into environmentally safer formulations and enhanced performance characteristics suggests that this alloy, which helped launch human civilization into the age of metals, will remain essential to our technological future. The history of bronze in the modern era is ultimately a testament to the enduring partnership between human ingenuity and material science.

Thanks for reading!

References

[1] The Complete History of Bearings You Need to Know – https://www.bdsbearing.com/blog/bearing-history

[2] The Evolution of Industrial Bearings | Mechanical Power Inc. – https://www.mechanicalpower.net/blog/bearings/the-evolution-of-industrial-bearings/

[3] The History of Ball Bearings – https://resources.hartfordtechnologies.com/blog/the-history-of-ball-bearings

[4] Who Invented the Ball Bearing? | LILY-Bearing – https://www.lily-bearing.com/resources/blog/who-invented-the-ball-bearing/

[5] Canon de 12 Gribeauval – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_12_Gribeauval

[6] Napoleon Bonaparte and the 12 pounder Gribeauval Cannon & Limber – https://www.palmersarmoury.co.za/article/napoleon-bonaparte-and-the-12-pounder-gribeauval-cannon-limber

[7] Gribeauval system – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gribeauval_system

[8] Cannon – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon

[9] History of cannons – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cannons

[10] Dardanelles Gun – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardanelles_Gun

[11] Military technology – Artillery, Development, Warfare | Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/technology/military-technology/The-development-of-artillery

[12] Canon de 8 Gribeauval – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_8_Gribeauval

[13] British Cannon Design 1600 – 1800 – https://www.arc.id.au/Cannon.html

[14] Cast Bronze Bells – The Verdin Company – https://www.verdin.com/bells/cast-bronze-bells/

[15] How Bearings Fueled the Industrial Revolution – ZNL – https://znlbearings.com/how-bearings-fueled-the-industrial-revolution/

[16] Propeller – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller

[17] Transatlantic telegraph cable – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transatlantic_telegraph_cable

[18] Submarine Telegraph Company – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_Telegraph_Company

[19] McShane Bell Company, Bronze Church Bell Casting & Carillons – https://mcshanebell.com/

[20] The Model 1857 12-pounder – Warfare History Network – https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/the-model-1857-12-pounder/

[21] The First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Was a Bold, Beautiful Failure – IEEE Spectrum – https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-first-transatlantic-telegraph-cable-was-a-bold-beautiful-failure

[22] The First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Was a Bold, Short-Lived Success | HISTORY – https://www.history.com/articles/first-transatlantic-telegraph-cable

[23] The Development of Artillery – https://www.gibmuseum.gi/our-history/military-history/development-of-artillery

[24] Innovations: Phosphor Bronze: Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks – https://copper.org/publications/newsletters/innovations/2001/06/phosphor_bronze.html

[25] Phosphor bronze – CAMEO – https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Phosphor_bronze

[26] Phosphor bronze – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphor_bronze

[27] Bellfounding – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellfounding

[28] Why are ship propellers made from bronze? – Quora – https://www.quora.com/Why-are-ship-propellers-made-from-bronze

[29] Still In The Bronze Age: Why Is Bronze The Go-To Industry Standard? – https://prop-one.com/still-in-the-bronze-age-why-is-bronze-the-go-to-industry-standard/

[30] Aluminium bronze – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_bronze

[31] Aluminum Bronze: Definition, Composition, Types, Properties, and Applications | Xometry – https://www.xometry.com/resources/materials/aluminum-bronze/

[32] A Guide to Different Types of Bronze Alloys – MetalTek – https://www.metaltek.com/blog/a-guide-to-different-types-of-bronze-alloys/

[33] Nickel Aluminum Bronze Corrosion Resistance – National Bronze Manufacturing – https://www.nationalbronze.com/News/nickel-aluminum-bronze-corrosion-resistance/

[34] Silicon Bronze Alloy – Washington Alloy – https://www.washingtonalloy.com/silicon-bronze-alloy/

[35] Silicon Bronze – Weldporn® – WELD EVERY DAMN DAY – https://www.weldporn.com/product/silicon-bronze/

[36] Silicon Bronze MIG (GMAW) – https://www.lincolnelectric.com/en/products/hpg-na-siliconbronze

[37] Aufhauser – C656 Silicon Bronze Alloy – https://www.brazing.com/products/Brazing_alloys/C656.1.aspx

[38] Beryllium copper – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_copper

[39] Beryllium Copper Springs Made by Atlantic Precision Spring – https://www.aps-ct.com/products/contacts/beryllium-copper-battery-contacts/

[40] Why Beryllium Copper Springs Make the Perfect Contacts – https://www.aps-ct.com/blog/why-beryllium-copper-springs-are-perfect-contacts/

[41] ​The History of Bearings – Quality Bearings Online – https://www.qualitybearingsonline.com/blog/the-history-of-bearings/

[42] A Brief History of Bearings – Arvis – https://arvis.co.uk/a-brief-history-of-bearings/

[43] Bronze – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze

[44] At the bottom of the sea: a short history of submarine cables | APNIC Blog – https://blog.apnic.net/2020/02/12/at-the-bottom-of-the-sea-a-short-history-of-submarine-cables/

[45] Common Uses for Phosphor Bronze – https://www.meadmetals.com/blog/common-uses-for-phosphor-bronze

[46] Aluminum bronze – a corrosion resistant metal in sea water – https://academy.ampcometal.com/aluminum-bronze-a-corrosion-resistant-metal-in-sea-water

[47] Spring and Wire Form Material: Beryllium Copper – Western Spring – https://www.westernspring.com/western-spring-resources/spring-and-wire-form-material-beryllium-copper/

[48] What Is Aluminum Bronze? | Aluminum Bronze Alloy – https://www.metaltek.com/blog/what-is-aluminum-bronze/