• Tweet
• Email
• Sharebar

• Tweet
• Email

I always wanted to write a post about door knobs and have been promising to do it for a few weeks now. 

We live in a home that was built in 1858.  Much of the origional hardware was still in the home when we purchased it. Our 1850′s doors would not look right with modern hardware on them.  The rim lock in the picture works.  We had keys made at Wescott Station, one of our local antique shops.  We were also able to find porcelain door knobs and replaced the knobs that were "updated".  The oldest hardware in the house is on the second floor.  The bedroom closets have small rim locks on them with ancient white porcelain door knobs. 

The lock in the picture  is made out of iron.  Rim locks made in the 1890′s were a bit more ornate and  smaller.  They make replica’s today out of brass and iron but they don’t look the same, they are not as thick and heavy as the originals.

The keys are not really very complicated.  We have 4 or 5 of them hanging on an old iron nail in the kitchen.  None of the doors get locked but we used to worry that the kids would lock themselves in one of the upstairs closets and because we took parenting seriously we figured it was our job to let them out.

None of the windows had any hardware on them.  We have put locks on a few,  and handles on most so that they are easier to open and close.  Windows that date back to the 1800′s are really not all that easy to open or close no matter what we do to them.   

If you have an older home or are restoring one replacement parts can be found all over town.  Northwest Architectural salvage on Selby has a lot of hardware and even doors.  John’s Antiques on the corner of W7th and walnut has a huge collection of  lamps and light fixtures.