Door knobs are one of those things that we often take for granted, but they can actually be quite interesting. Many antique door knobs are made of brass, bronze or other metals. Some are even made of glass or porcelain. The materials used to make door knobs have changed over the years, but the basic design has remained fairly constant.
The earliest door knobs were probably just simple pieces of wood or stone that were attached to the door with a piece of rope or twine. Eventually, people began to fashion more elaborate handles out of metal, glass and other materials. These days, you can find door knobs made out of just about anything imaginable.
If you're interested in collecting antique door knobs, then you'll need to know a bit about the different materials that they're made from. Here's a quick rundown:
Brass: Brass is a popular material for antique door knobs because it's durable and has a nice patina (a natural aging process that gives brass a distinctive yellowish-brown color). Unfortunately, brass is also susceptible to tarnishing if it's not properly cared for. If you're planning on using your brass knob regularly, then you'll need to polish it periodically to keep it looking its best.
Bronze: Like brass, bronze is quite durable and develops a beautiful patina over time. However, it's also susceptible to tarnishing and will require periodic polishing if you want to keep it looking its best. One advantage of bronze over brass is that it's less likely to cause allergies since it doesn't contain nickel (which is found in some types of brass).
Glass: Glassdoor knobs are quite beautiful but they're also delicate and can break easily if they're not handled carefully. If you choose glassdoor knobsthen be sure to select ones that have been reinforced with metal or another sturdy material so that they're less likely to shatter if dropped or knocked against something hard. Also, keep in mind that clear glassdoor knobscan show fingerprints more easily than ones made from frosted or colored glass . . . so plan accordingly!