pipe straps/clamps come in all the various sizes that pipes do. those bits you have there are pretty unacceptible landloard short cuts. bronze threaded pipe is obsolete as it corrodes on the inside of the pipe and you loose flow and the integrity of the threaded joints. it can be repaired for a short term fix, but copper (hot and cold) pipe and copper elbows which are soldered (no threads) in place are the better route for long term reliability. the brass fixture you have is standard hardware store variety and pretty jerry rigged as i imagine there is also another set for filling the tub. knobs are also cheep hardware store items and can be changed up or down graded for esthetic reasons. on/off valve stems are also HWS replacement items but come in many varieties. NYC does not allow plastic PEX pipe is much cheeper but not pretty so it's used inside the wall when used all over the rest of the country. expposed pipe is a design thing thats pretty popular in design circles. not for everyone, but i like it in the right application.