(A proudly fictional account.)
Long before AC Foundry ever existed, there was Sir Archer Clifton — an eccentric visionary, dashing gentleman, and unapologetic perfectionist who changed the world one absurd invention at a time.
He began his career in the late 1800s designing outdoor decks so breathtakingly beautiful that aristocrats would gather just to be photographed standing on them. These early photos became so popular that people began requesting “a deck pic” from Sir Archer himself — thus pioneering the now-infamous deck pic genre of photography. Historians remain divided on whether these were solicited or unsolicited, but one thing’s certain: no one had ever seen decks quite like his.
When winter arrived, Sir Archer grew frustrated that his holiday lights had to come down. “Why should joy be seasonal?” he asked — and promptly invented what we now know as year-round LED lighting, or as he called it, perpetual illumination for civilized living.
His innovations continued indoors. A man of extravagant taste, Sir Archer was plagued by a most practical dilemma — nowhere to store his ever-expanding wardrobe of tailored suits and pristine shoes. His solution? The world’s first custom-built closet, designed solely to house his extensive collection of attire and his legendary collection of gentlemen’s footwear. He often said, “A man’s character begins with his shoes — and ends with where he stores them.”
Then came the Great Fence Experiment. Ever the boundary-pusher (literally), Sir Archer sought to design a fence so elegant it could keep out gossip and bad taste alike. He succeeded — but accidentally enclosed three neighboring properties and one confused postman. Still, the craftsmanship was impeccable.
And, of course, there was the Epoxy Floor Affair of 1907, during which he coated the Royal Society ballroom in a glossy resin “to increase both reflection and refinement.” Guests described it as dazzling — moments before describing it as slippery.
Today, the spirit of Sir Archer Clifton lives on in AC Foundry, a modern collective of trades and craftsmen who share his passion for quality, detail, and a little bit of mischief.
We build with the same conviction that drove Sir Archer himself — that good work should make people stop, admire, and maybe even send us their own deck pics.
