102 
House & Garden 
Hardware That Completes 
the Decorative Scheme 
S ARGENT locks, knobs and trimmings may 
be selected to harmonize with the doors on 
which they appear. They may be in accord 
with the decorative spirit of a home. Though 
but a detail in building construction and rela¬ 
tively insignificant in total costs, Sargent Hard¬ 
ware adds much in beauty and refinement. It 
becomes the finishing touch to an artistically 
satisfying whole! 
In the Sargent Book of Designs you will find 
hardware appropriate for mansion or cottage of 
every architectural type. And remember that 
Sargent Hardware will give you the utmost in 
protection and silent performance. Write for 
the Book of Designs. Select Sargent Hardware 
with your architect. 
SARGENT & COMPANY 
Hardware Manufacturers 
31 Water Street, New Haven, Conn. 
SARGENT DOOR CLOSERS 
remove the bane of the door that 
slams or stands forever ajar. 
They close all doors silently and 
surely, and keep them shut. Sizes 
for light and heavy doors. 
ocas &> hardware 
A semi-ellipse overdoor opening, found in 
a late 18 th Century house at Marblehead, 
Mass. 
The Variety of Fanlights 
(Continued from page 100) 
ly much thinner than during the pre- flanking the doorway, was a rather 
ceding era. In the latter part of the favorite trick in the Midlands of Eng- 
18th Century and early in the 19th land. The writer knows of no similar 
Century the Adam influence was re- instance in America. Apart from the 
sponsible for a great variety of agree- palpable sham, it is not an altogether 
able conceits in fanlight design. The happy way of dignifying the house 
Adam fondness for ellipses contributed door. The genuine fanlight, set in its 
a new shape for the fanlight—the semi- natural plane, is a far more satisfying 
ellipse. The use of lead for the glazing feature. 
divisions, oftentimes ornamented at the In the use of the varied forms, other 
intersections with molded lead rosettes, than the radiating motif, the provincial 
made it possible to execute much lighter builders of England—for many of the 
and more intricate patterns and added fanlights were the invention of local 
to the attenuated gracefulness which builders rather than of architects— 
characterized this period. showed a more daring disposition to 
The realization of the decorative pos- depart from established precedent than 
sibilities afforded by the fanlight and did their American contemporaries, 
the common partiality to its employ- Some of these departures were well con- 
ment as a means of gracing the prin- ceived, others were less felicitous. All, 
cipal entrance sometimes led to its in- however, are interesting and more or 
sertion in a rectangular overdoor open- less suggestive. 
ing. These rectangular fanlights were The general adherence to the radiat- 
not infrequently very successful as ing motif as the foundation of design, 
pieces of design. Again, in other in- whatever subsidiary diversities and 
stances, where no overdoor opening had elaborations might be introduced be- 
been provided to light the hallway, a sides, shows the intrinsic soundness of 
false fanlight was sometimes contrived, the conception. Adherence to this tra- 
purely for purposes of decoration, and dition did not in any way involve a 
set in place on the occasion of erecting curtailment or hampering of the de- 
a new doorway. This device of false signer’s liberty. To be convinced of 
fanlights, which were also sometimes this one has only to look at the examples 
set forward flush with the pilasters shown here. 
