<p>
	Except for the stone and marble staircases of mansion houses, inside staircases were usually in wood, either ornate or simple depending upon the style of the period. The mass developpement of iron foundries in the 19th C&nbsp; led to the fashion for cast iron and wrought iron ballustrades, particularly striking during the <a href="http://www.antiques-in-france.com/antiquites/-/art-nouveau">Art Nouveau period</a>.</p>