Antique Dummy Door Knobs, Cast Bronze Branford Oriental Design on Portland Style Door Plates, Set of 2 Each, ca 1886
One of my favorite designs, this is a set of 2 each antique cast bronze eastlake era oriental design door knobs manufactured by branford lock works (branford, ct) in 1886. These beautiful 2-1/4 drum style knobs have a very cool design of foliates and geometrics with a bamboo branch running across the face.
This design is repeated across the back of the knob and the rim is designed for grip with two large rollovers into a wide inset crosshatch. These beauties are mated to a pair of wrought steel copper-plated antique portland style door plates with a lightly distressed black finish that reveals copper on the ridges. The plates measure 7" x 2-1/4" and price is for the set of 2 each of these super awesome examples of old all-american eastlake awesomeness and craftsmanship. Default is as a dummy knob.
What is a dummy knob a dummy knob is for pulling, not for turning. A dummy knob is a face mount knob that acts as a way to open/close a door, pull/push or side to side. Ideal applications are on man doors, cabinet doors, barn doors or french doors. Any door that has an alternate method of latching, but needs a cool piece of original antique hardware to pull it open and closed.Other applications include use as wall towel hooks, wall coat hooks, curtain tiebacks or just wall art my antique dummy door knobs are all actual antique, period specific door knobs that have been mated to a door plate or rosette (the round door plates). Mounting to the surface is via screws through the door plate screw holes (which you supply). Making an antique dummy knob is a process at our end, and most of the knobs that i have are not yet assembled (in order to give the client the option of dummy or operable). Because they are "made to order", it typically adds 2 to 3 days onto the order process time.
If you need them quicker, please sent a note with the order and we will see what we can do to speed the order a bit. As dummy knobs, we typically permanently connect the knobs to the plates when they are ordered (although there are a few that are pre-assembled as dummies). With most pairs of operable knobs i will include a knob spindle and knob set screws. Plate mounting screws will be supplied by you as required for your installation application. Custom knobs sets or components: if you would like a custom set or multiples, or maybe just parts and pieces of what you see, please feel free to drop us a note and let us know your questions are, or what you might need.