Doorknob

Object Name:

Doorknob

Object ID:

1976.069.02 a-c

Creator:

Corbin, Philip & Frank CompanyManufacturer

Place of Origin:

New Britain, CT

Date:

1875-1880

Description:

Door knob and lock set. Brass door knobs with long rectangular face plate and a small circular plate, all with embossed designs. Iron and brass. Brass knobs roughly oval in cross section. Front semi-circular surface has cast-in decorations of slightly fanciful flowers and geometric shapes. Decoration has four different design areas around edge and small circular decoration in center. Front surface appears to be spun and wrapped over edge where it meets back piece which has slightly flattened oval cross-section. This in turn is fastened to cylindrical barrel with depressed central groove around it. Slightly rounded, flathead, slotted screw in groove on barrel that holds knob onto iron shaft. Similar knob on other end of shaft which was bent and distorted slightly on its back surface. Circular face plate stamped so it has series of fanciful leaves between three equally-space holes near perimeter. Plain raised collar in center of plate that accepts barrel of handle into it. Larger, rectangular face plate used most likely on exterior of door. Cast, fanciful flowers and other designs on this face plate. Some of designs top and bottom symmetrical and near center is area of asymmetrical design. Single small hole near top and bottom incorporated into design that accepts fasteners that hold plate to door. Attached collar centered two inches down from top of faceplate that accepts knob shaft and connecting collar. Below that is plain, narrow, vertically-oriented rectangular area which has two keyholes in it. Top keyhole is circular with slightly flared triangular space below it. Further down is similar-shaped, but slightly larger keyhole. Lower keyhole has swiveling flat plate with cast-in decorations on front and series of serrations on edges. Plate is 0.085" thick. Pivot pin on top of rotating plate that passes through main faceplate and is flattened on back side. On back of large faceplate, is stamped, rectangular border that goes around keyholes and has slightly pinched-in design at its bottom edge.

B. Latch and lock mechanism. Face has same embossed designs: cast-in design with several areas symmetrical fanciful designs. One asymmetrical design below latch bar. Quarter-inch chamfered holes top and bottom of lock plate. About quarter way down from top in horizontal sliding tab on lock plate. Flush with surface and sits in middle of slightly recessed circular design. Below that is latch bar which tapers down from right to left and is 0.55"h x 0.5"w. It protrudes 0.3" from surface. Below that and about one-quarter way up from bottom edge is rectangular dead bolt: 0.9" h x 0.4"w. Number "20" stamped front of dead bolt. Attached to lock plate is rectangular iron body that has cast iron box and possibly cast steel cover. Cover on right side. Held in place by two flathead screws. Body painted black surface; some flaking off in several areas. Iron case two small ears at top and bottom edges at front surface which fit into cast brackets which are part of brass face plate. On right side of lock body, applied cover has four cast-in collars around doorknob hole, two lock holes, and thumb latch lock hole. Cast-in, raised area associated with snap latch. Doorknob and two lock holes line up vertically. Doorknob hole has circular insert with square hole in center that accommodates doorknob shaft. Keyholes correspond in size with holes in knob faceplate. Below top keyhole is horizontal slot in cover plate. Raised, cast insignia on right side near top keyhole that consists of large letter "C" that encircles smaller letters: "P & F ". In upper left corner is small vertical slot adjacent to front plate which accommodates movement of small thumb tab on front of lock plate. Left hand side of face are similar cast-in collars for openings. Raised area for snap latch and sliding tab. Adjacent to thumb latch hole is single line of cast-in text with smaller line below it. Text has paint and corrosion in it. "PAT......NOV 18 / 1878".

C. Patterned brass keyhole plates and key. Larger escutcheon plate for key. Has cast, fanciful decorations front surface. Small hole top and bottom for fastener. Keyhole, round top, slightly tapering triangular bottom. Matches up with bottom key in lock. Smaller escutcheon plate, brass, with cast, fanciful decorations on front. Small holes top and bottom to hold plate to door. Larger hole in center with small key-way in edge. Brass thumb-latch key. Heavy brass, slightly rectangular thumblatch with cast decorations on sides. Broad part leads to square shaft with small key protuberance on one side. Shaft and thumblatch slightly bent. End of shaft appears to be broken off. Shaft fits through escutcheon plate and into side of lock body. When turned, it moves snap latch back so it is flush with front surface of plate.

Material:

Metal
Brass
Iron

Provenance:

From Northwood, NH.

Credit Line:

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Johnson

Subjects:

Door knobs, Key plates, Locking devices, Metalwork