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Door handles - help needed!

13 replies

Marina · 25/08/2006 10:55

Not sure whether this should have gone in Style or not...
We are hardly retro purists in Marina Towers, but are desperate to get rid of our vicious and ugly faux antique brass internal door handles. The house is a 20s semi so what we want is either brown or cream round door handles that look like Bakelite. John Lewis do some in a cream crackle-glaze enamel finish that I am OK with because they are exactly the right shape and colour but dh doesn't like the crackle (FFS).
Does anyone out there happen to know of a retailer that sells such a doorknob. Don't mind it being new/plastic whatever, in fact would prefer that to going the architectural salvage route.
So who's a fan of 1920s and 30s architecture and decor out there then who might have some bright ideas? I'd be sooooo grateful TIA

OP posts:
Auntymandy · 25/08/2006 10:58

used to be a company called knobs and knockers dont know if its still around!

Auntymandy · 25/08/2006 10:59

should find something here!

MrsBadger · 25/08/2006 11:37

Not sure if they do them online (and am meant to be working else would investigate myself) but a shop called Anthropologie in the US does 1920s & 30s French doorknobs - def worth a google.
Graham and Greene may have something suitable, also try the Pier and possibly Ocean. or Purves and Purves.
And of course there's Salvo and Lassco if you do go the salvage route.

NomDePlume · 25/08/2006 11:40

I ran a search on deco door knobs and a few things came up. I'll post any interesting links...

NomDePlume · 25/08/2006 11:41

Original bakelite knobs on ebay

Marina · 25/08/2006 12:00

Thankyou all
I did try googling auntymandy but there are some firms there I didn't find, so I've just had an unsuccessful trawl. Unfortunately there seems to be a gap in the repro market here - obviously owners of suburban semis are not as lucrative as Victorian or Georgian houseowners!
Should have thought more of homewares than of ironmongers, thanks for that tip Mrs B = and for the link NdP.
My worry about original fittings is that bakelite does degrade and become porous and brittle over time especially if exposed to lots of sunlight. Which would be why it is no longer produced I guess!

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MrsBadger · 25/08/2006 12:25

Anthropologie don't have the ones I remember (it was a year ago in Philadelphia so not really surprising) - these are rather nice but might be a bit small - in fact Graham & Green have similar ones.

I rather like the amber glass ones here and here too but I realise this is straying off the brief.

JackieNo · 25/08/2006 12:27

Some here , including this ?

Marina · 25/08/2006 12:28

They are gorgeous MrsB but too little
I was wondering about amber too...or just buying the crackle glaze ones from John Lewis and sticking them where the sun don't shine if dh still keeps whingeing about "buying something new that has already been damaged"...sigh.

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Marina · 25/08/2006 12:29

Jackie, you genius! How did you find them when lesser Googlers have failed ? Thank you so much. Hurrah! Mumsnet is the biz.

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JackieNo · 25/08/2006 12:30

. And actually I'm the lesser Googler, just luck!

Marina · 25/08/2006 12:35

I have e-mailed dh the weblink, not the link to this site after my cruel and uncharitable remarks I am sure he will be especially grateful!

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aelita · 25/08/2006 13:12

I know of this site that does period-style bakelite hardware;

periodfeatures.net

I'm not sure if they do the specific door-handles yo're after (though not all their stock is online), but I'm sure if you rang the shop they might be able to point you in the right direction. Otherwise, Ebay is your friend!

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