From a couple weeks ago:

EXTRAORDINARY ORIGINAL HARDWARE

I spent yeaterday working with my most excellent contractor friend at the Carnegie Street house.

We removed hardware from 3 doors to be restored, and we looked at the back porch to plan the framing for the new bathroom, etc.

So here are some amazing things I learned:

The original hardware is top quality made in "Birmingham near Pittsburg"

By Patent and Day. The first floor hardware sets are mortised into the doors,

And most of the components are solid brass, including the knobs, hinges,   screws and escutcheons. The brass hinges have coverplates that are attached with two tiny brass screws that hide the bulky four screw hinges behind.

It's the first time I've ever seen a detail like this.These were all hand-machined, and the precision is amazozing.

The second floor hardware sets are surface mounted rimlock boxes made of cast iron. Each box has the brass seal with the stamp of the mfer on it:

"J & J  Patterson Patent Birmingham near Pittsburgh". Very cool.

The cast iron boxes were full of debris, including paper and a 1934 quarter, and had never been removed from the doors.

The first floor doors are clear pine, but the second floor doors are a soft red wood, and my guess is hemlock. Where the rimlock boxes were attached

The surface of the doors behind each box remains unpainted (since 1830!)

On the back porch, the shutters are intact and have been protected from the weather. Because of a fire, the paint on one of the shutters was loose and crackled and easy to remove. Upon scraping and a little sanding, we came to the conclusion that the shutters may be solid maple! Unbelievable for shutters today, but certainly an abundant wood in the time.

Below are photos of the hardware, before and after restoration. I took it to Frank Mance in the Strip District,who did an excellent job for a reasonable price.

FIRST FLOOR MORTISE HARDWARE BEFORE

SECOND FLOOR RIMLOCK HARDWARE BEFORE

BRASS SEAL NAMED MF'ER AND
LOCATION. MANY RIMLOCK BOXES AT
THE TIME WERE IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND.
THESE WERE MADE IN PITTSBURG!!!

The 5-screw hinges are the
structural hinges (still solid brass).
The 2-screw hinges
are the beautiful brass coverplates.
A friend called this hardware "luscious."

Keyhole escutcheons were to prevent looking
through the keyhole. In a doctor's office that
would be especially important.