I recently went to my nearby town (founded 1270) to photograph 'hand and ball' door knockers; it's a design that is found throughout France
I seem to remember that the town used to have a wonderful selection of these knockers, both in beautiful time-burnished bronze and cast iron (as above).
I wandered around looking for all the old beauties that I remember from years gone by, but for some bizarre reason found only ONE. Either fashions have suddenly changed, or antique dealers have been by and persuaded their owners to sell.
In either case the town is a lesser place for the disappearance of this wonderful item of door furniture. They were a small but very beautiful feature of its ancient streets.
Maybe I just looked in the wrong places; I do hope so.
Maybe I just looked in the wrong places; I do hope so.
12 comments:
I do miss the ancient buildings and their accessories here. Before 1900 is considered very old.
There are lots of them in Portugal Cro....I too was fascinated by them and took lots of pics one year.
Was it a fasting day yesterday? Yes? Aah... that explains a lot... no food, the mind turns to knockers.
LLX
It WAS my fasting day yesterday, and I was ill-tempered all day.
When I lived in York
There was a shop there called
" knobs and Knockers"
There are lots in Spain as well - my friend owns one which is not attached to a door. They are a cross-over between Islam and Christianity, being based on the Hand of Fatima - a symbol of protection in both religions.
There was one of those in Bath as well.
I too have one with the bolt broken; not usable, sadly.
Possibly people think they are too valuable to put on their door.
The worst part of a diet is the first few weeks.
I am not familiar with these at all Cro so it is interesting to read some of the comments and so learn a little more about them.
So that's what is meant by the request
"Get your hand off my knocker !"
I have seen these a lot in Greece
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