Copper can be used relatively pure, but many metal objects are alloys. Bronze is usually copper with tin; brass is copper with zinc; leaded alloys add lead for casting behavior; high-tin bronze can produce a pale, silvery, resonant surface. Historical alloy names are not always identical to modern industrial definitions, so museum records and technical analyses should be followed carefully.

Copper alloys are easier to cast, hammer, engrave, tin, gild, or inlay than many harder metals. They are durable but workable, and their color can range from red to yellow to pale silvery tones. A brass object could imitate gold visually, while inlaid silver or black compound gave it the contrast of precious-metal luxury.

Copper-alloy metalwork appears in ewers, basins, candlesticks, incense burners, trays, mosque lamps, boxes, scientific instruments, door fittings, architectural grilles, weapons fittings, and hospitality vessels. A useful website feature would show the same technique, such as engraving, on different alloys so visitors see how color and hardness change the result.