God bless academics, that can make the simplest and most beautiful of things into an adventure into the dictionary.
Did you know that door knobs are also ‘cognitive affordances’?

I’m going to have to use some direct quotes here, as the language is impossible to paraphrase:

“Physical and cognitive affordances help users perform physical and cognitive actions, respectively.”
The visual design of both kinds [of door handles – knob and lever] conveys a cognitive affordance helping users think or know about usage through the implied message their appearance gives to users: ‘This is what you use to open the door’.

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You have probably heard the well-documented fact that one in seven door handles contains traces of semen … and it is all the more believable if this is one of those door handles!

This unique piece has found its way into our collection through sheer good humour, and willingness to try something a little out of the ordinary. Whoever the lucky purchaser ends up being, we can imagine several scenarios that will ensue …

They will hear just about every lewd double entendre possible regarding their ‘knob’
You can just imagine … there will be all sorts of jokes about your knob’s placement in relation to your knocker … whether it is pointing upwards or downwards … how easy it is to grasp … and how hard the alloy is!

The number of traveling salespeople and religious preachers knocking on the door will dramatically decrease
How many Mormons do you imagine will willingly put their hand to that to enter a house? Do you think many of them would even knock after they had seen it? No doubt they would regard you as a lost cause, or perhaps even a source of evil contamination, and run a mile! Although it may be more effective if it were made as a knocker, as then everybody would have no choice but to touch it to alert you to the fact they were outside.

Then again, perhaps they would become more determined to save your wicked, wicked soul!

You will have many fewer visits from your in-laws, and much more scurrilous gossip about you!
It takes a will of iron (and a something else of bronze …!) to put up with what would be said about you behind your back for having this on your front door. Let it roll off like water off a duck’s back … know that the Good Lord made them … and laugh all the harder every time you come home!

Failing that, mount it to your garage wall and enjoy the laughs without the gossip!

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Here at Architectural Classics we often have gorgeous, very old antique door hardware … and the newer ones fall by the wayside a little. But we couldn’t go past these gorgeous frog door knobs! They are made with a light silver resin to look like alloy, and the backplates are created with both brass and bakelite rings for strength and endurance.

Unfortunately, the only thing we can’t guarantee about them is that by kissing them, you will turn them into princes! Gosh knows what you would even do with two princes … they might end up fighting over you and slaying each other, and then you would be without either door knobs or princes. Probably safest to keep your lips well away from these, no matter how much you like to kiss your other antique door knob purchases!

Every now and then we come across something really special at Architectural Classics. We have been lucky enough to come across this gorgeous stylised bronze knocker, dated from around the 16th century and made with many traditional elements. A woman’s head holds up the huge and heavy knocking arm, which consists of two putti, displaying a shield with fleur de lys. The shape of the entire knocker resembles the classical fleur de lys. The knocker has not been cleaned up, touched up, polished or restored with us, so you can see all of its antique charm and chronicles. There is no chance of the beauty of this knocker being missed by unobservant guests, either – the entire piece is a foot high and around 7 ½ inches wide. Although it is so special, you’d no doubt want it somewhere more secure than your front door!

The knocker incorporates many classical elements in a blend of art, superstition and an unidentified homage. The putti which hold up the shield are traditional characters, which became prevalent in Italian renaissance art. They have been found on articles dating back to the second century AD, though – they used to decorate the coffins of children. On these media the putti would be seen doing normal human activities – playing, fighting, playing sports and engaged in religious rites. You can understand their parents would want to imagine them somewhere, growing up, playing games, and enjoying ‘normal’ activities … The putti as a symbol and motif was revived by Donatello in the 1400s. They are associated with many different things, according to the context they appear in. They can represent romantic love, and the goddess Aphrodite; they can represent Heaven; or they can simply be associated with peace, happiness, leisure and enjoyment. (more…)