Hardware
Factors in determining the value of antique hardware are rarity, completeness, and condition. Rarity in antique hardware is difficult to determine, news of a rare item bringing a high price predictably uncovers more examples of the piece, lowering price in subsequent sales. Completeness can only be determined by the knowledgeable collector, understanding the manufacturing process, parts requirements, and mechanical function is essential to identification of a complete piece. Physical condition is the most readily identifiable factor in determining value; a thorough inspection will uncover any damage.
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Bail Pulls & Backplates Copper was the first metal to be widely employed by man. Early craftsmen discovered that it could be easily hammered into sheets and then fashioned into increments of survival and subsequently objects of beauty. With the introduction coppers principal alloys, bronze and brass, a wide range of castings also became possible.
Buttons & SwitchesDoor bells and the supporting accessories can be found in many styles and compositions from approximately the mid 19th century onward. Frequently, door bell accessories were combined and refashioned by homeowners creating a hodgepodge of doorbell combinations that often represented various styles, manufacturers, or eras within one system.
Casters and Leg CapsThe Eastlake style was named after Charles Eastlake, a prominent British writer who advocated simplicity of design. In stark contrast to the namesake’s advocacy of simplicity, the Eastlake style involves complex detailing, featuring plant forms as well as Japanese and Egyptian stylistic influences. The Sears, Roebuck catalogue featured Eastlake hardware through the 1920s distributing the style across America.
Door Knobs & BackplatesPrior to the commencement of the civil war, several American hardware manufacturers were producing fired porcelain door knobs. The white and black porcelain doorknobs as well as mineral knobs also being fashioned preceding the American civil war are considered relatively worthless, but the variety of vividly colored and often highly decorated doorknobs manufactured simultaneously are highly collectable.
Drawer Knobs and PullsOriginally designed as a commercial furniture item, bin pulls were manufactured in numerous interesting and beautiful styles and designs that facilitated the development of a collector following. Bin pulls were usually fabricated from cast iron, but can be found in bronze, examine the back for dating and marks.
Grates & RegistersThe vast majority of early hardware remained finely crafted, but non-ornamental until the first production of highly decorative bronze hardware, which coincided with the introduction of the Second Empire style in the 1860s. These renaissance-inspired homes were an ideal canvas for the artisans of America's fledgling hardware industry.
HingesThe magnificent homes of the late 1800s had large heavy doors requiring proportionately larger hinges. Craftsman of the time decorated the seldom seen antique hinge with the same enthusiasm they crafted the more conspicuous hardware. Frequently larger homes had thick baseboards requiring the hinge design to allow the door clear the moldings resulting in an inch or more of exposed hinge, which was embossed along the spine and equipped with finials.
Hooks & FastenersThe blacksmith flourished as a pivotal social force for over 2000 years, his tools and techniques remaining unchanged. The precision, speed and output advantages presented by the Industrial Revolution rendered the once crucial task obsolete in one generation. The tradition survived within a small niche created to supply demand for custom-designed architectural work.
Keys & Keyhole CoversInitially known as an object of beauty, meteoric iron jewelry has been discovered among the riches of Egyptian tombs. It is commonly believed that the Hittites were the first civilization to produce iron from ore about 1400 BC. Iron swords, spearheads, knives and axes quickly proved superior to the previous bronze weapons and tools, ensuring the rapid spread of iron working techniques.
Knockers In 1874, Corbin created a line of enameled hardware, which included knobs, plates, locks, strikes, handles, levers, and more. The intricately detailed pieces were enameled in blue, black, green, and white. The blue enameled hardware was the most popular and most frequently produced in the line resulting more surviving pieces of blue. This impressive enterprise was available for only a few years, which has enhanced the products desirability.
Locks and LocksetsPrior to the mid 19th century the mortise lock had supplanted the surface mount lock as the standard in American architecture. Initially these locks and strikes were manufactured with little or no ornamentation, but as decorative hardware became fashionable these areas of the lockset were adorned with designs matching those of the knob and rosette.
Postal Boxes & Mail SlotsThe popularity of the decorative mail slot was at its climax in the 19th century when the written word was the primary mode of communication. The postman trudged from door to door, delivering letters by inserting them into the slots that are today inadequately sized to receive the bulky deliveries of the modern postal system. The inside plate was usually without ornamentation, and has often been lost or discarded over the years; the plates were frequently overlooked due to this absence of decoration.
Window HardwareNamed for the English queen, the Victorian period started around 1860 and, lasted into the early decades of the 20th century. Manufacturing processes developed during the Industrial Revolution enabled the mass production of hardware; the hardware industry expanded rapidly giving rise to highly ornamental, and unusual products.
