Design details
In his series celebrating our homes’ original features, conservation expert Lee Bilson highlights the importance of these practical yet decorative finishing touches
Conservation expert Lee Bilson explores the fascinating design evolution of ironmongery
Ironmongery is the finishing detail to a period home and, I feel, key to achieving any sense of character or highlighting an interior style. Despite being designed for functional purposes, the right piece of ironmongery, doorknob, or thumb latch can make any space.
Design evolution
As people in the late medieval and Tudor periods began to live in homes with more than one principal room, the need for room divides and ways of accessing and closing off different rooms became necessary. At first, these spaces would have been separated by woven hangings and fabrics, but gradually wooden doors hung on long wrought-iron strap hinges became more widespread. The forms of these were initially quite rudimentary with any decorative detailing usually relating to the function of the hinge.
Before the advent of handles and knobs, the doors of our oldest period homes would be kept shut with a latch, bolt or lock. As only the wealthy could afford a lock and key, most people would have resorted to a much simpler form of timber latch with a latchstring.
In the homes of the wealthy, you would also find forged iron latches used alongside early forms of wrought-iron and brass rim locks. These pieces, along with hinges, would have been handmade by local blacksmiths. But in other homes of the period, you might find large wooden box locks with iron drop handles or sometimes turned wooden knobs. As a result of the local nature of the manufacture of these early items, regional styles varied and
developed according to local tradition and would remain this way into the 18th century and beyond.
Georgian industry
With the beginning of the Industrial Revolution came an explosion in the manufacture of items for homeowners. The designs and patterns of blacksmith hinges and latches could now be simply copied on a vast scale, bringing ironmongery to the masses as hitherto unseen.
Building improvements in the Queen Anne period and the developments in architectural style towards classically inspired proportionality, saw ironmongery garner more attention in detailing than before. Whereas previously the decoration would have been relatively minor notations decided principally by the blacksmith, now the designs could better reflect the architecture of a home and the fashions of the day. So, with the improved availability and subsequent reduced cost, iron fittings would be used prolifically in all types of homes of the period.
Developments in window design meant the need for sash window fasteners and sash lifts, both commonly produced in brass. So, too, were the door handles of the day that were designed to work on the ubiquitous rim locks and latches, face-fixed to doors. The rustic latches and strap hinges were now well and truly out of fashion, being found in only the simplest of spaces or dwellings.
Victorian vigour
The era of prosperity under the Victorians saw ever more developments in manufacturing techniques, and with that came changes in the ironmongery used. Over the period, mortice locks and latches cut into the door grew in popularity, alongside more flamboyant stylistic choices such as gothicstyled lever handles. While brass rim locks and knobs were used plentifully in more important areas of the home, the lower-order room doors sported cast-iron or steel locks and simpler knobs.
In my own home renovation project, most of the period locks were removed in the middle of the 20th century, but the locks in the old servants’ attic thankfully remain. While only the cheaper style of late Georgian/early Victorian locks, their iron box, with small brass handle and bolt, add a delightful finishing touch to the doors in these spaces.
Another major change under the Victorians was the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post in 1840, soon requiring a letterplate on front doors for the first time. The letters of the day tended to be small, so early letter boxes were similarly sized, and as styles developed and fashions changed, letterplates started to be produced as a set with matching door knockers and pull bar handles.
A wider postal system also necessitated homes being more easily identifiable, so conspicuous house numbering became important, if a little haphazard. These could be found as either oval plaques of glazed ceramic or enamelled iron, or the number being painted on the door or the door surround. For exterior doors, solid brass door furniture still tended to be for the wealthy, with cast iron being the choice of the masses, finished in lacquered black or bronze.
Modern eclecticism
At the turn of the century there was a rediscovery of past styles under the revivalist Arts and Crafts movement. Simple wooden doorknobs were commonplace once more. But soon, more bold designs would occur, spurred on by changing fashions to reflect the industrial and glamorous Art Deco style. Brightly polished chrome handles, door knockers and letterplates were extremely popular, harking to the finest cruise liners and aerodromes. Bakelite also grew in popularity, perpetuated by its ease of manufacture and greater international trade in materials like never seen before. Modern door furniture became relatively homogenised in the homes of the period and would set the trend for decades to come.
Things to look out for
● The smallest of design details can allow us to read the history of our homes and help us when approaching renovation or decoration work.
● If the original fittings and ironmongery have been removed in your period home, look in the lower-status areas and you might find some examples that haven’t been lost to help you pick something that would suit.
● Look at old doors and you may notice if previous locks or doorknobs existed. Where there might now be a mortice lock, filled-in key holes or holes for the door knob might point towards rim locks.
● On the door frame you might find evidence of a keeper, which would have been directly fastened to the door jamb – the equivalent of a more modern door strike plate – and used with rim locks.
● Hinges were also often changed, so there might be the scars of previous hinges evident that will help you to pick new replacement styles.
Recreating the past
Ironmongery and door furniture are key details when considering the decoration of any room, but especially in a period home. All too often original forms were removed in favour of changing fashions, but there are plenty of fantastic sources to obtain period-appropriate or even modern ironmongery to suit an older home. Try to source locally, especially for cottage-style homes – talk to a blacksmith and they will craft you some pieces to suit your needs that will fit nicely with the local vernacular.
Craftsmanship is crucial to the finishing touches of our homes, and ironmongery is certainly an area you will see the benefits of spending a little more. You can’t go wrong with Jim Lawrence, which designs and handcrafts beautiful products for the home; I particularly like its range of rim locks. There are lots of smaller companies out there too – I’ve always found The Suffolk Latch company to be extremely helpful, with low-priced, good quality products, while Shropshire-based Holloways of Ludlow sells a fabulous selection of ironmongery.