Set of Door Knobs - Is this a monogram?

[rustyattic]

I don't know if the middle is a monogram, or just the design.  I saw the same one on worthpoint, titled "xxx" mongram.  But I dunno.

[Dogaman]

Close
http://www.historichomehardware.com/store/vintage-monogrammed-cast-bronze-doorknob-sets-p-934.html

Closer: scroll down the page for selling price/better pic on "monogrammed door knob" Google image search
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Oliver-Hotel-Brass-Door-Knob-South-Bend-Indiana-Monogram-TO-Antique-OT-/161030484268?nma=true&si=5PD%252BkE2TQSFmlvVe9IdVlHZXlJc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Bingo!
http://www.urbanremainschicago.com/19th-century-ornamental-cast-bronze-interior-chicago-lexington-hotel-guestroom-monogrammed-doorknob-with-nicely-aged-patina.html

[Ipcress]

Well done Dogaman ! Just as you'd posted the other link i was going to suggest it could be another hotel with the H in the centre .

Karma point for you !

That hotel was Al Capone's headquarters ! The doorknobs are mentioned here in....wait for it...

The Doorknob Collector magazine ! 

http://www.antiquedoorknobs.org/Newsletters/084_Jul-Aug1997.pdf

The full doorknob and lock shown here

http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com/id6.htm


Seem to be a few copies around looking at recent ebay listings.

[Dogaman]

Ipcress,

Thanks for the Kudos, but I love doing this! And I am learning in the process! giggle.... Imagine...Al Capone!

Does the lack of the back plate reduce the price?

[mart]

Excellent work folks !!  That's interesting !! Didn`t know there was a Doorknob Collectors magazine !!
Wonder where Rustyattic got this one ??

[rustyattic]

You guys are the csi of antiques.

I picked it up over the weekend from a house near Chicago.  Here's the lock/back plates it came with.  I didn't think they were the original ones.  There was also a cool door knocker with it.

[rustyattic]

The kissing couple is Ritter & Son
The cylinder for the knobs is taylor.  I'm thinking the last owner just put the knobs on an existing lock/back plate set?

[mart]

Not necessarily !!  Looks like it all belongs together to me !!

[Ipcress]

The backplate / furniture doesn't look 1930's and it should be if the doorknob is original

[bigwull]

I,d say that the back plate and the latch mortice are original,the key cylinder is,nt as that would have been brass at one time,..the screws on the mortice are slotted, which tells me its an old lock,more modern ones have cross headed screws,

[rustyattic]

Here's more pics.
The back plates in ipcress's link and this blog show the same silver color plate: http://albarwilmette.net/category/interesting-hardware/page/2

How would you sell it on ebay?  With everything "as found" or 2 seperat listings for the just the knobs?  Another general question about selling hardware, does it sell better cleaned and polished?

[bigwull]

do not polish,...as to their provenance....don,t be exact...just list them with the implication that they are,what they are,...that way...no one can say...not as described...

[mart]

Don`t polish !! If you do that will cost you at least part of whatever it is worth !!  This is one time that brass is better left alone !! I would list it in one lot and just tell what you know about it and that the knob is the same as was on the hotel doors !!  As to it being different from some of the known hardware,, I would imagine that the higher priced rooms had the more ornate back plates !! Smaller, less expensive rooms were a bit less fancy !!  Hotels often have different grades of rooms !!

[bigwull]

Looking at that back plate with the thumbturn tells you that it was a room that it was on...my reasoning for this is, a thumbturn on the inside meant that in the event of an emergency, the occupant could make their escape more easily without having to look for a key...

[Ipcress]

Don`t polish !! If you do that will cost you at least part of whatever it is worth !!  This is one time that brass is better left alone !! I would list it in one lot and just tell what you know about it and that the knob is the same as was on the hotel doors !!  As to it being different from some of the known hardware,, I would imagine that the higher priced rooms had the more ornate back plates !! Smaller, less expensive rooms were a bit less fancy !!  Hotels often have different grades of rooms !!

Two different pics of different doorknobs with the same backplate. Doubtful that a hotel with monogrammed doorknobs such as this would use different backplates on different rooms.

Don't think it's silver, Rusty. Just the glare from the flash