The Return of the 
Door-Knocker 
ONE OF THOSE “ LITTLE THINGS” THAT HAS 
RISEN FROM THE PLANE OF THE STRICTLY 
UTILITARIAN TO THAT OF THE DECORATIVE 
by May Emery Hall 
Sketches by the Author. Photographs by Mary H. Northend 
W E must confess at the 
start that our chief in¬ 
terest in door-knockers is largely a sentimental one. We 
like to dwell on the days that preceded the sharp electric 
bell, when the knocker’s friendly rat-tat-tat betok¬ 
ened genuine, old-time hospitality. From the time 
that the London knocker, immortalized by Dickens, 
assumed the features of Marley — yes, and before 
then—a truly human interest has attached to this 
guardian of the door. 
The primary purpose of the door-knocker was, of 
course, strictly utilitarian. In time, however, its 
ornamental possibilities received attention. Thus 
the evolution from the simple iron ring that did duty 
in early times to the ornate designs of modern days. 
The Colonial period in our own country has given 
us a wealth of knockers, their patterns being trace¬ 
able to England. The best work of the conscientious 
artisan went into this form of building hardware, with the re¬ 
sult that many of the knockers were truly works of art. 
This suggests one of the sources from which our pres¬ 
ent-day supply of knockers come, for, as 
hinted above, the knocker is fast com¬ 
ing into its own again. I refer to an¬ 
cient homes, particularly in New Eng¬ 
land. If the knocker-hunter have the 
good fortune to locate one of these man¬ 
sions in the process of demolition, he 
may be able to pick up the desired re¬ 
minder of Colonial days for a trifling 
sum. With many unappreciative per¬ 
sons, the old, artistic knockers merely 
represent so much “junk.” Even in the 
antique shop, where exorbitant prices are usually supposed 
to obtain, iron and brass knockers can be purchased for a 
few dollars. They may not be genuine antiques — and the 
dealer is often honest enough to say so — but if the chaste 
Colonial pattern is reproduced satisfac¬ 
torily, what difference does it make? 
Another source from which the mod¬ 
ern door may be supplied with this 
ancient fitting—and this is by far the 
largest field — is the output of the, man¬ 
ufacturer of artistic “finishing hard¬ 
ware.” This whole subject is receiving 
an immense amount of attention to-day, 
and rightly so. Why should we make 
an exhaustive study of the architectural 
plans of our homes, the size and num¬ 
ber of the rooms, the appropriate finish 
of walls and floors, and then utterly 
ignore the matter of hardware fittings? 
This Colonial is bet¬ 
ter for outside doors 
Italian Renaissance is 
characteristically ornate 
For guest room these two are excellent designs: 
Lincoln Imp and Colonial 
It is, indeed, in the careful 
choice of the misnamed “little 
things” that the house-builder has the greatest chance in the 
world for that distinctive note that will distinguish his 
home from that of his neighbor. There is every 
good reason why the knocker should be in¬ 
cluded in the building hardware. Its popularity by 
no means indicates that it is a far from practical fad 
that will soon pass away. Very often it is connected 
with the electric bell and thus performs a double 
function. 
The door-knocker is equally suitable for the city 
home and the country bungalow. As to style, it 
should be as nearly uniform with that of the house 
as possible. As Colonial architecture is so gener¬ 
ally prevalent, the Colonial knocker is likewise popu¬ 
lar. An attractive assortment of simple, dignified 
designs are offered that appeal readily to the person 
of refined taste. The oval, perfectly plain or with simple or¬ 
namentation, is a favorite pattern. The beaded edge makes 
a pleasing finish. The Greek vase and 
urn are often seen, both with and with¬ 
out the name-plate. 
But the knocker designs do not end 
with the Colonial. Indeed, so great an 
interest has been revived in the whole 
subject that knockers are now classified 
by schools. Thus we have the Roman¬ 
esque, the English Gothic, the French 
and Italian Renaissance, and so on. 
Then there are knocker designs that do 
not fall readily into any architectural 
period, but form a group by themselves. 
Their name is legion and each suggests 
an interesting story. There is the Stratford knocker, for in¬ 
stance, bearing the well-known bust of the Bard of Avon; 
the Falstaff, the Robin Hood, Windsor Stag, the Lincoln 
Imp (copied from a gargoyle on the 
cathedral), and a Cheshire Cat with ex¬ 
aggerated humped back. 
Besides the knocker for the outer 
door, there is a smaller size for inner 
doors. The guest-room knocker, it is 
often called. No quainter memento of 
a trip to England—the land of knockers 
—can be selected than a souvenir of this 
sort. In one home that I know, the fa¬ 
mous Lincoln Imp, brought from over¬ 
seas, holds fiendish guard over the 
guest-room door. 
The materials from which knockers 
(Continued on page 242) 
English Gothic is too 
staunch for inside use 
!llll!!i:il 
(211) 
