Back in the day, glass door knobs were the rage – almost every new Bungalow, Craftsman, and Ranch style home featured glittering knobs that accented and enhanced the home’s decor.
Finding vintage glass door knobs in good condition today can be challenging. While you may have some success at flea markets and antique stores, getting the old hardware to fit your modern doors can be a hassle.
Still, where there’s a will there’s a way, right? With a little persistence and patience, retro glass door knob sets can still be purchased on line.
The full variety in the style of old glass door knobs are available – traditional fluted styles, swirls, pumpkin shapes, oval, and octagon shapes. Even the classic glass lever designs are available!
When looking for these styles, consider the quality – after all, cheaply made knobs can loose their luster quickly after installation. Worse, they tend to fall apart in your hand! Look for genuine steel spindles and solid brass shanks.
The original styles of these knobs date back to the early 18th century, when inventors discovered how to press molten glass into iron molds. The actual molds, termed ‘press molds’, were reusable and made from high-grade cast iron. Artisans would carve the knob geometry into the cast iron, and the molten glass would be pressed into the mold. Glass knobs originally became popular in the US after World War 1, driven primarily by a shortage of copper and brass.
Back in the day, glass door knobs were rated by facets – similar to how jewelers rate diamonds. The door knobs sported six to fourteen faceted sides and was bubbled in front to display the internal star burst. Later, manufacturers began inserting mirrored cardboard in the back of the knob in order to better reflect light through the star burst design.
Although more rare, some styles of these knobs featured bright, vibrant colors like amber and violet. Another less well-known style was termed “Vaseline glass” and got it’s unique green-yellow color by adding uranium oxide to the glass. To the delight of little kids in the day, these knobs would glow brightly when exposed to a black light.
The good news? All of these styles are still available today. Look for solid brass and glass construction – the quality of these retro knobs can vary, and you’ll want to avoid cheap glass door knobs. And don’t assume that your chosen knob design will automatically fit your door – look for knobs that can be used with contemporary style doors.
Finally, be prepared to pay for your passion! Sets of six or twelve faceted glass door knobs can be quite expensive so your best option is to find a bargain online.
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