Glass Door Knobs: A Brief History

Nearly a hundred years ago, glass door knobs were ubiquitous in American homes, but that hasn’t always been the case. Glass door knobs had been in common use in Europe since the early 1800’s, perhaps most popular in England. England had a long tradition of high quality glass production including the invention of “lead crystal” invented by George Ravenscroft in 1676 when he introduced lead oxide to the glass. This gave the glass significantly more brilliance, reflectivity and weight, making it sturdier and more useful for a broad range of products.

While this spectacular new glass was first used in only very expensive decorative pieces, improved manufacturing techniques over the following 150 years allowed the production of more functional forms – such as doorknobs for an estate’s most significant doors. Predictably, the tastes and styles of Europe and England migrated to America and glass doorknobs found prestige in the more elegant homes of the early and mid-1800’s. With multiple facets, intricate detail, and mounted on beautifully complex rosettes, crystal knobs were indicators of a room’s special significance within the home.

Glass Door Knobs: Widespread Appeal in American Homes

As improved manufacturing techniques became widespread around the country, glass doorknobs became an affordable elegance for many more homeowners. However, knobs of cast brass, iron and bronze were still less expensive and therefore the necessary choice of most average homeowners. In fact, metal knobs had dominated the American mass market since the beginning of the Victorian era in the mid-1800’s. Everything changed when America entered World War I in 1917.

Overnight, the brass, bronze, iron, steel and other metals previously in vast supply were co opted in service of America’s war efforts. Combined with further improvements in glass manufacturing processes, glass doorknobs suddenly found themselves poised for mass market adoption. In fact, even the extremely popular Sears and Montgomery Ward’s catalogues included them in their “kit homes” which spread to every corner of the country by rail during the first part of the 20th century.

Glass Door Knobs: Styles and Uses

Glass knobs could now be cast and shaped with precision on grinders to form intricate, affordable knobs of all sizes and uses. Hexagonal knobs became vogue with the adoption of the Craftsman and Cottage aesthetic in America. The geometric and faceted forms of these knobs echoed the style and philosophy of the times. This same design aesthetic remains popular today in every part of the country, once again spurred by the popularity of catalogue companies such as Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, and Olde Good Things among others.

Glass Door Knobs – Typical uses of the glass knobs today include:

• Elaborate entry door locksets
• Interior doors, especially combined with decorative rosettes
• Knobs for kitchen and other cabinetry
• Creative re-purposing such as being mounted as coat hooks or knobs from which to hang pictures, etc.

Glass Door Knobs – Typical colors include:

• Cobalt blue
• Garnet and ruby red
• Amber
• Emerald green
• Vaseline glass (light yellow/green and highly collectible)
• Milk glass (a semi-opaque white glass)

Glass Door Knobs – Modern Artisanal Glass Doorknobs

Today, glass doorknobs once again find themselves amongst the very finest craft pieces in ultra-high-end homes of even the most modern aesthetic. Les Verreies de Brehat is a French company that is doing exquisite functional and architectural glasswork, including glass door knobs. Brehat is a tiny island just 2km off the coast of Brittany, France. Here you find one of the most modern glass studios in the world. Their master artisans create spectacular glass hardware and fittings that can be found in the world’s most luxurious hotels and private residences. Their pieces are combinations of blown and cast glass that rival the finest art glass being produced for galleries and museums the world over.

These pieces bring the evolution of glass door knobs full circle – from luxury items of immaculate craftsmanship, to common household fittings for the average homeowner, back to items of desire for those of the most discriminating taste…and with budgets to match.