In search of unique antique hardware
January 1, 2019 10:28 PM Subscribe
My friend, who is 91 years old, has asked me to help track drawer handles for a desk his grandfather built for his 6th birthday.
This took place in Scotland approximately 1934-5 and the grandfather was a violin maker.
We’re looking to find 2 handles to replace a broken and a missing one for the top drawers.
Ideally we’d find identical handles, but are open to having copies custom made from the originals. Please recommend a shop that does such work.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Happy new year!
We’re looking to find 2 handles to replace a broken and a missing one for the top drawers.
Ideally we’d find identical handles, but are open to having copies custom made from the originals. Please recommend a shop that does such work.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Happy new year!
That is a thing of beauty!
I collect handles and other stuff like it. Unfortunately I don't have any that fit your friend's furniture, but what I do is look for them at flea markets and yard sales. Or look for a smallish manufacturer of door and cabinetry hardware in your region, and ask if they do custom work.
posted by mumimor at 3:26 AM on January 2, 2019
I collect handles and other stuff like it. Unfortunately I don't have any that fit your friend's furniture, but what I do is look for them at flea markets and yard sales. Or look for a smallish manufacturer of door and cabinetry hardware in your region, and ask if they do custom work.
posted by mumimor at 3:26 AM on January 2, 2019
A friend of mine just graduated from the Chippendale International School of Furniture in Gifford (Scotland) - maybe one of the students there would accept a commission, which would give you a nice link with its country of origin, and support and up-and-coming furniture maker? (Or MeMail me if you’d kind me to put you in touch with my friend).
Or even post in MeFi Jobs, in case there are any skilled woodworkers among us!
posted by penguin pie at 3:44 AM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Or even post in MeFi Jobs, in case there are any skilled woodworkers among us!
posted by penguin pie at 3:44 AM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh! I’m sorry, I’m an idiot, I only looked at the top few photos and assumed they would be wooden handles, apologies.
posted by penguin pie at 3:45 AM on January 2, 2019
posted by penguin pie at 3:45 AM on January 2, 2019
Hi, I don't know if this will help if you're not in the UK, but Marshall Brass will make a replica if you send them an original (although they do note it will be 5% smaller because of shrinkage). They also have a big big catalogue of handles and backplates, which I had quick look through and didn't see yours but it is long and I may have missed it.
I also go to antique auctions pretty regularly, and I don't recall having seen any handles like that, but I will keep an eye out for you and let you know if I think I can get my hands on some.
posted by stillnocturnal at 4:18 AM on January 2, 2019
I also go to antique auctions pretty regularly, and I don't recall having seen any handles like that, but I will keep an eye out for you and let you know if I think I can get my hands on some.
posted by stillnocturnal at 4:18 AM on January 2, 2019
Oh, and Optimum Brasses don't say that they do replicas, but it might be worth asking because I've always found their handles to be very good quality.
posted by stillnocturnal at 4:24 AM on January 2, 2019
posted by stillnocturnal at 4:24 AM on January 2, 2019
Tricky.
Plan A is to find two pieces of hardware matching the original. $$
Plan B is to have the knocker portion or the two piece pull reproduced- I have done this for clients and I don't think it is a good choice for this situation. There is loss of detail and extra finishing and antiquing required. They will be similar but not the same and that will be a flat note in the is lovely piece of furniture. $$$
Plan C obviously is to replace all the drawer pulls with vintage hardware or similar. This simply is the easiest choice in many cases, and as this is the fall-back position, you need to consider it on a parallel track as you look for matching hardware. Look for "Chippendale drawer pulls" or "Chippendale knocker pulls." Note the the current distance between the fasteners to minimize headaches. $$$$
NOTE - If just the knocking pulls are missing, Plan B may be a better choice as the the handle portion is un-ornamented and could be made to look OK w/o too much trouble. Hardware reproduction still is an expensive option, though, as the major cost of the laborious custom mold set up is the same for plain or fancy elements.
posted by Glomar response at 5:10 AM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Plan A is to find two pieces of hardware matching the original. $$
Plan B is to have the knocker portion or the two piece pull reproduced- I have done this for clients and I don't think it is a good choice for this situation. There is loss of detail and extra finishing and antiquing required. They will be similar but not the same and that will be a flat note in the is lovely piece of furniture. $$$
Plan C obviously is to replace all the drawer pulls with vintage hardware or similar. This simply is the easiest choice in many cases, and as this is the fall-back position, you need to consider it on a parallel track as you look for matching hardware. Look for "Chippendale drawer pulls" or "Chippendale knocker pulls." Note the the current distance between the fasteners to minimize headaches. $$$$
NOTE - If just the knocking pulls are missing, Plan B may be a better choice as the the handle portion is un-ornamented and could be made to look OK w/o too much trouble. Hardware reproduction still is an expensive option, though, as the major cost of the laborious custom mold set up is the same for plain or fancy elements.
posted by Glomar response at 5:10 AM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
It looks like these are marked "Registered Design 62264" - that's what the RD mark indicates. Can't find a UK design of that number, nor can I find an identical match at Lee Valley.
Measure across the centres of the mounting screws inside the drawer in inches, and your search term (in N America) includes "brass plate pull" with that dimension. If this was made in Scotland, there were myriad tiny brass foundries all over the central belt and it could have come from any of them.
posted by scruss at 5:29 AM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Measure across the centres of the mounting screws inside the drawer in inches, and your search term (in N America) includes "brass plate pull" with that dimension. If this was made in Scotland, there were myriad tiny brass foundries all over the central belt and it could have come from any of them.
posted by scruss at 5:29 AM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
As you asked for a recommendation for a shop that does reproduction work, here is a company I have used and recommend.
posted by Glomar response at 6:03 AM on January 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Glomar response at 6:03 AM on January 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
The other search term that may be useful is "bail pull". I saw this site that has slightly similar ones and they might provide some guidance, but the shape is sufficiently different that I think you'll need a brass casting workshop to do a reproduction.
posted by holgate at 6:05 AM on January 2, 2019
posted by holgate at 6:05 AM on January 2, 2019
The best selection of high-quality reproduction hardware I know of Whitechapel. I didn’t see anything to match yours, but their customer service might be able to help.
posted by jon1270 at 3:11 AM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by jon1270 at 3:11 AM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by Segundus at 1:49 AM on January 2, 2019