LIFEINTHEBIGOLDHOUSE
Photos by Lauri Kramer Serafin
Opaque glass knobs in blue, like this one, are
a rare find.
An antique doorknob made with brass
and nickel plating, seen in a second-floor
bathroom in the Forsstrom House.
An octagon doorknob made of crystal and
brass hardware, typical of the second floor of
the Forsstrom House.
Antique doorknob choices
Finding vintage features
to fill in charming details
BY LAURI KRAMER SERAFIN
Antique doorknobs are a strong interior
design statement for an old house, espe-
cially at the front door. Unfortunately, it is
common for original hardware to be lost to
breakage and replacement. To understand
what door hardware to choose, it’s helpful
to know the history of door hardware.
Wooden door latches and knobs were
common until the early 19th century. A
large number of patents for doorknobs were
granted between 1830 and 1873. Cast metal
doorknobs became available around 1846.
There was soon an explosion of match-
ing hardware suites of bronze, brass and
iron marketed throughout the Victorian era.
After 1915, doorknobs made of pressed
glass were widely manufactured and pop-
ular. Crystal, a type of glass that con-
tains lead and has brilliant reflective lus-
ter, was uncommon and expensive, as was
cut glass.
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Most glass and crystal knobs were clear,
but colorful styles were also made. White
milk glass was used in the white sanitary
bathrooms of the early 20th century. These
inexpensive porcelain knobs, often in black
or white, were very common.
Antique and vintage door fixtures
are often mortice locks. These locks are
installed into a rectangular recess in the
body of a door. This differs from the “rim
lock” door hardware directly applied to the
door face. A spindle that attaches the door-
knobs goes through a hole in the installed
lock mechanism.
A cover plate may lay over the entire
doorknob attachment and key hole. Alter-
nately, in separate pieces, a doorknob
rosette and escutcheon or keyhole cover
may do the trick. Nickel plating was once
customary for door hardware throughout
bathrooms and kitchens. Chrome became
more prevalent after the mid-1930s.
Prior to selecting doorknobs, assess
what is present and original. Consult with
someone experienced in selecting vintage
hardware if possible. Also note that exterior
doorknobs and lock sets are often larger
than interior ones. Door knobs are a dec-
orative statement and are easy to upgrade,
but do save and label original hardware.
Remember, the rule of old house res-
toration or renovation is to do no harm.
It may be preferable to swap locations of
original hardware for better visual impact.
When we bought the Forsstrom House,
I found many original knobs and hardware.
The 1894 first floor had plain cast brass and
nickel-plated brass door knobs, while the
1915 second floor had lovely crystal knobs
in a modified octagon shape. Nickel-plated
hardware was used in the bathrooms and
kitchen.
My goal was to have matching antique
door hardware suites on each floor. I pulled
all replacement hardware. One recommen-
dation is to use an old closet lever or knob
on the inside of a closet. This might free an
original knob for a more visible place.
A day of doorknob switching moved
original hardware to more visible areas of
the house. A want list was carefully devel-
oped. I located matching hardware from
my stash, from friends and local salvage
yards.
Interior door hardware made of nickel-plated
brass, with a skeleton key, shown at the
Forsstrom House in Astoria.
I encourage those restoring old homes
to seek out antique and vintage knobs,
as most reproductions are just not the
same. With a bit of effort, true-to-era fix-
tures can be obtained at a lower cost than
reproductions.
Old paint on door hardware can be
removed by putting metal hardware in a
crock pot for 3 to 4 hours with two drops
of dish soap. It should then peel off when
done. The heat will break the weak bond
between metal and paint. Finish up with
fine-medium steel wool and finish with
finer steel wool for a polish, then apply a
clear lacquer spray if desired.
I often get questions about skeleton keys
for old locks. There were once a large num-
ber of lock companies and all had a large
number of proprietary key shapes. I have
been collecting old furniture and door keys
for decades. It’s only a matter of good luck
to find keys that fit. Locks can be removed
from doors while shopping for old keys. It
is fun to have an old lock with a key that
works, one of the simple joys of living in
an old house.
Lauri Kramer Serafin is the owner of the
Forsstrom House in Astoria’s Shively-Mc-
Clure Historic District. For more about her
restoration work, contact forsstromhouse@
gmail.com or visit theforsstromhouse.com.