Replacing front door hardware with period hardware

I am looking to replace my front door hardware with period hardware. I have seen options on House of Antique Hardware and Rejuvenation and wondering if Brownstoners have recommendations for other online sources or for local sources where I could check out the options in person. The house dates to 1898, so looking for something Eastlake-ish. Also, if I put in historic hardware, is it still possible to put in an electric lock buzzer to open the door remotely as part of the intercom system? Many thanks for any advice.

ProHeights66

in About Brooklyn 9 years and 10 months ago

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Rick | 9 years and 10 months ago

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I’ve used hardware from the Old Rose Hardware Company on some projects that worked out well. You can use antique knobs with new lock sets. You may be able to work something out with their products.

bklynpwds | 9 years and 10 months ago

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You may want to visit Simon’s Hardware in Manhattan. They have a large selection of door hardware on display, in all price ranges. We wanted to use antique hardware on our front doors but knew that there were limitations. Instead, we found a simple brass doorknob with hammered detail that worked for us design-wise by Hamilton Sinkler. We didn’t wind up using a faceplate behind the doorknob, to let the design stand out and to save a bit of money. If your door is very detailed and ornate, a simple brass door knob might work nicely to show off the detail. A heavy (but plain) brass door knob can look very rich and authentic. Something to consider…

thetinkerswagon | 9 years and 10 months ago

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here is where things can get tricky. the spindles on the old knobs are bigger and are usually the screw type (10-24 thread, I think). this is not the issue as these are still available (5th ave stocks as does abbey in the city). the problem becomes with trying to fit these to a modern mortise case which uses the smaller spindle size. there are ways around this if one is handy and wants to get involved in brazing or doing real old fashioned locksmith work, grinding, etc. recently, I did a door in Manhattan and the job was managed by an architect and he was able to find a mortise case which worked with a very old set of knobs. he sourced that at house of antique hardware – only very recently so I know they are available. another issue will be getting the holes in the escutcheon plates to line up with the hole for the spindle and the hole for the mortise cylinder in the lock body. when buying complete locksets off ebay, if you are lucky and no one has switched parts out, and you have a true set, you may find that the springs are lazy in the lock itself. A good locksmith should be able to change those though. aside from the issues, you may find some real old quality product such as sargent, yale, corbin, and parker. I would say some of that stuff is worth working on if that is what you wish. I try to stay away from the old stuff as I worry about issues later/lockouts. Steve

BobMarvin | 9 years and 10 months ago

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BTW, Eastlake-style hardware is actually too early a store for an 1898 house, although it will look great if that’s what you want.

Guest User | 9 years and 10 months ago

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You could look at Historic House Parts and Olde Good Things and Demolition Depot. There are many, many more, just do a google search.

no-permits | 9 years and 10 months ago

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there’s nothing complicated about retrofitting old door knobs, plates, escutcheon, handles etc. i’m not talking about old insides/mortises.

chjuran | 9 years and 10 months ago

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To echo others’ warnings, depending on your existing door, vintage hardware can be impossible to get to fit correctly. We acquired some awesome ornate period Eastlake knobs and hardware but could not get them to work with the existing mortising of the doors. We found we would have to significantly modify the doors, which in turn would mean finding matching escutcheon plates. In any case, the solution would have rendered the door less secure, and possibly impaired the mechanical action of the hardware. We sadly gave up and went for reproduction. I’d get advice from a locksmith to assess the viability of your specific plan. A $50 housecall would have saved us hundreds on what turned out to be a dead end.

thetinkerswagon | 9 years and 10 months ago

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be careful trying to buy period stuff from made up parts on ebay. not everything functions as it should either because it is old or it does not size with other items. the buzzers will work and we just found a narrow one which allows installation without destruction of the door. baldwin makes items that appear period. check the other vendors mentioned above. Steve

BobMarvin | 9 years and 10 months ago

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VanDykes is also good for repro hardware; I’ve bought stuff from both them and House of Antique Hardware.

no-permits | 9 years and 10 months ago

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if you want actual period stuff, watch eBay and see if anything comes up. you can also try build it green, old iron, or any other salvage/antique store. you can do a electric strike plate but it depends on the condition of the doors and how much you want to cut them up to put in the lock.