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11 December 2012 - Unusual Christmas Gifts
I am sure everyone out there has that one friend or family member who is particularly difficult to buy for. It's at times like these that antique and reclaimed gifts really come into their own. Unusual and often unique there is no risk of the recipient already owning the item or someone else purchasing the same gift. While an antique door knob or door knocker certainly makes an original gift perhaps for someone who has recently moved house, we do reluctantly accept here at Snobs Knobs Posh Knocker that not everyone want's an item of door furniture for Christmas! For the non door furniture aficionado's in your life why purchase a victorian fireplace tile? Works of art in their own right the humble fireplace tile can be reclaimed and upcycled into a decorative home accessory. Perfect as garden art stuck on a wall, they also look fabulous framed in sitting rooms and hall ways. Collect a few and a wonderful mosaic can be created Hard wearing and heat proof they also make great trivets to place pots or kettles on in the kitchen. They also look attractive placed under vases or as coasters on tables and desks. So for the perfect unique, upcycled and enviromentally friendly gift why not purchase that hard to buy for individual an antique fireplace tile this Christmas! Tiles available in our architectural category.
24 December 2011 Drafting Proofing Old Properties
Those of you who live in old properties will know that one of the main battles faced by homeowners at this time of year is how to effectively draft proof the home, keeping heating bills down without drastically changing the house’s appearance. With over 70% of heat loss as a result of drafts this can be a tricky challenge especially when you consider that the old doors and windows we love so much are often the worst draft offenders!
So what can the period home owner do if they want to avoid spoiling the character of there house with pvc double glazed windows and doors?
For window’s you may wish to consider secondary double glazing but if you haven’t the funds to do this there are plenty of DIY draft proofing alternatives out there including self adhesive foam strips, or metal/plastic brush strips to fill the gap between the window and frame. For something more traditional some specialist window restorers also sell DIY sash window kits with wooden staff and parting bead to repair windows. Using these latter kits does require some knowledge of joinery and wood work so if in doubt it is probably best to consult a professional.
When it comes to doors there are a number of easy fixes you can make to reduce drafts. Door seals and weather strips can be found in all high street DIY stores and are a cheap and quick way of preventing drafts. For gaps at the bottom of your door attaching a brush draft excluder is an effective way of keeping the heat in. If you want to attach something to your door, placing a fabric draft excluder next to your door is a good alternative. Surprisingly two of the worst offenders for door drafts (letterboxes and keyholes)often overlooked. To block a keyhole drafts the simplest and most elegant solution is to fit an escutcheon. For a wide range of escutcheons in a variety of styles and finishes take a look at the keyhole section of our website. For letterbox drafts the answer is an inner letterbox flap which will smarten up the inside of your door and keep drafts out. For a selection of letterbox flaps click on the spare parts section of our website.
Of course the challenge doesn’t end at windows and doors, with all old properties consider installing roof insulation, mend and seal any external wall cracks and take a look at your chimney. If you don’t use your fireplace consider fitting a cap over the chimney pot or purchasing a chimney balloon to block out drafts. While canopies over fires can be fitted with a valve to seal off the flue when not in use
20 December 2011 Merry Christmas!
Barry, Ann, Kate and Jenny would like to wish all Snobs Knobs and Posh Knocker's friends, customers and suppliers a very merry christmas and a happy and prosperous 2012!
11 July 2011 New Products added to our range of Letterboxes
Lovers of chrome will be excited to see the four new chrome additions to our range of letterboxes. From the sleek art deco styling of the Aylesbury Letterbox, to the period charm of the Victorian Letters Letterbox there is something for everyone - so why not check out the letter box section of our website now and see which one suits you.
8 July 2011 Could this be the most expensive door knocker ever?
Here at Snobs Knobs Posh Knockers we are interested in all things which relate to the history of door knockers so we were fascinated when we came across the following anecdote about the famous door knocker from which the world renowned Oxford college gets it‘s name.
The college which dates from the 16th century is named after the unusual animal snout shaped bronze door knocker in question. The door knocker which is believed to date from the 11th century, was according to legend stolen by students from a school in Lincolnshire in 1334. It didn't return to it's rightful home in Brasenose until 1890 when the college bought the entire school in question simply to reacquire the door knocker. The door knocker now hangs in pride of place above the high table in the dining hall for all to see. This tale leaves us thinking -purchasing a school? Does this make this famous door knocker the most expensive door knocker ever?
18 April 2011 Theft of door furniture in Spain.
For a few weeks now the architectural reclamation community has been talking about the spate of door furniture thefts in Edinburgh city centre with petty criminals pinching door furniture to sell as scrap. Imagine our surprise when a member of the Snobs Knobs team spotted an article in a local newspaper whilst on holiday in Spain at the start of April which suggests that this isn't just a UK problem.
Apparently police arrested a 37 year old Rumanian at the start of April in Aranjuez and charged him with stealing 560 ornate metal door handles from buildings throughout the city. The owner of the scrapyard who bought them was also arrested. The police said the man had been paid 1,713 euros for 656 kilos of metal obtained from the handles. Residents near the buildings affected give the police the thief's description as well as the time he usually committed the crime. They found pliers and several handles in the boot of his car.
As a wag in the Snobs Knobs Posh Knocker's office said maybe it's time Aranjuez is twinned with Edinburgh!
4 April 2011 Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers products feature in May's edition of Period Ideas Magazine.
Everyone here at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers were really chuffed to see that not one but two items of our door furniture were featured in the May 2011 edition of Period Ideas Magazine. The products in question: our chrome art nouveau door knocker and the best selling door handle the Edwardian Oval Brass mortice/rim lock door knob, both featured in the article "Open Door Policy". The guide to door furniture was aimed at giving readers advice to ensure that their home is both stylish and secure and includes some useful advice in making sure your front door is fit for purpose. To check out the article why not take a look at our facebook page which can be accessed via the facebook badge on our home page.
10 Feb 2011 Natural Cleaning Methods for Brass - Week 4 Baking Soda and White Wine Vinegar
This weeks method was another sourced from the internet. A simple method they suggest just adding baking soda to white wine vinegar to make paste, which is then rubbed into the item of brass using a soft cloth.
Inspired by last weeks, flour, salt and vinegar paste I though how hard can this be? The first glitch occured when I realised I was unsure whether baking soda was bicarbonate of soda or baking powder or both? A quick trip to google confirmed that it was indeed bicarb of soda, so tub in hand I set off to make a paste. This proved to be more difficult that I'd imagined as using each amounts of bicarb and vinegar did not create a paste but remained liquid. After adding more powder, more vinegar and finally yet more bicarb I finally arrived at a paste, which I promptly rubbed into my brass door handle. The result? - nothing. Undeterred I left the door knob "marinating" in the paste overnight and checked it the next morning. Still nothing - so I'm afraid I have to record this as my first natural cleaning method failure.
The verdict - don't try this at home!
5 Feb 2011 - New range added!
Regular customer's of Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers may have noticed that we've added a new category to the website - Great Value with Great Quality Door Knobs. A selection of interior door handles all priced at under £30 this range proves you that you can still have great quality and great style without a great big price tag. With the same great quality that our customers expect from all our handles we think this range is great quality too which is why we called it "Great Value with Great Quality Door Knobs". After all quality doesn't have to be expensive but it should be priceless!
28 Jan 2011 Natural Cleaning Methods for Brass - Week 3 Do you want salt & vinegar with that?
For this week's test, I'm tried a method I found on the internet which used salt, vinegar and flour to clean brass. I was a little sceptical about this method as I didn't think it would be as effective as last week's lemon and salt but in the name of door furniture science I thought I would give it a go!
The cleaning method is as follows: mix equal parts of salt, vinegar and plain flour to create a paste. Apply the paste with your fingers to your brass item and leave for an hour before washing off with warm water and polishing dry with a soft cloth.
Making & applying the paste was easy taking no more that a couple of minutes, after one hour I returned to my door knob and rinsed the paste off. I was surprised to discover that the tarnish was indeed gone and in it's place was gleaming brass, which was definately as shiny as that I cleaned last week.
The advantage of this method is it doesn't require any elbow grease, the downside however is that not only do you have to wait an hour to clean your handle, but that during that time said door knob is covered in a glue like paste which is not great if your door handle still attached to it's door!
The verdict? Salt and vinegar are not just for chips, try this at home if you have plenty of time and your item is detached from the door.
27 Jan 2011 New Eco Friendly Door Handles added to the Snobs Knobs Posh Knockers range!
Here at Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers we're always trying to offer our customers something different, so that's why we are really pleased to have added six new enviromentally friendly door knobs to our bespoke door handles range. Made from a selection of different woods including polished rosewood, oak and beech, what really sets these door knobs apart from the rest is that they are all made from sustainable and managed sources which means purchasing them is not only a style statement but kind to the enviroment too! For more information on these door knobs why not take a look at our bespoke door handles category now.
20 Jan 2011 Natural Cleaning Methods for Brass - Week 2 Take half a lemon....
The use of lemons comes up regularly when you investigate natural cleaning methods for metals such as brass. I wanted to try a method this week which could be used to clean door knobs or door knockers while they were attached to a door, so armed with a recommendation from a fellow reclamation expert on twitter I selected a lemon and some salt.
An advantage of this method is is simplicity as you just cut a lemon in half, remove any seeds and cover the cut surface of your lemon with table salt. With my lemon coated I then rubbed the tarnished door handle and volia! In less than a minute the tarnish had gone, and a shiny brass door knob had emerged a triumph indeed!
The verdict? Do try this at home. It's cheap and it's eco friendly and you can clean door furniture in situ. For larger items you will need to reload your lemon with more salt but the speed with which items are cleaned makes this method really easy. The shine achieved was superior to that achieved with ketchup the week before and smell is definately preferable! If like me you often have a lemon which seen better days languishing at the bottom of a fridge or fruit bowl it's a great way of using it up rather than simply chucking it in the compost bin.
13 Jan 2011 Natural Cleaning Methods for Brass - Week 1 Adventures with Ketchup....
More and more people are becoming interested in natural cleaning methods either to reduce the number of chemicals used in the home or in the hopes of finding a cheaper alternative to expensive cleaning products. If you search the internet you will find literally hundreds of suggestions of natural ways to clean brass and other metals commonly used in door furniture but which of them actually work?
Well wonder no longer because here at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers as part of a weekly blog, we will be trying these methods out so you don't have to, and we promise to report back whether the results are good, bad or just plain ugly!
So without ado here are the results of our first trial where we attempted to clean a particularly tarnished un-lacquered brass door knob with ketchup.
As per the internet for the first attempt I tried rubbing ketchup into the door knob with a soft cloth. The result? No difference apart from the fact I now had a door handle which smelt fetchingly of tomatoes! Never one to give up, I upped the anti and smeared a section of the door knob in a layer of ketchup and left it for approximately 20 minutes before wiping it clean. This time the results were much more visable with the area which had been treated several shades lighter and clearly less tarnished than the areas I left untreated although one or two marks did remain.
The result then? Do try this at home if you have items which are only mildly tarnished and you don't mind the faint aroma of tomatoes. This is probably not the best method to try if you want to clean your door furniture while in situ!
18 December 2010
Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers would like to wish all their customers and clients a very merry christmas and a prosperous new year!
4 December 2010
When is a door knob not a door knob? - Unusual uses for door furniture
Here at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers we have sold and restored antique and period door furniture for many years and over time we come across some interesting & unusual uses for door furniture. Ranging from the decorative to the practical here are some of the uses we’ve come across
1. Glass or ornate brass door knobs doubling as curtain tie back hooks. The jewel like colours of periods glass door knobs and the warmth of brass can create a stunning look when paired with velvet or silk curtains and thickly tasselled tie backs. 2. Unusual picture hangers. Attach ribbon or silk rope to the back of the picture to hang. Fix a small door knob a few inches above where you want to picture to hang using a rawl plug. Simply tie the ribbon around the door knob with a decorative bow and an usual picture hanger has been created. 3.Antique and vintage coat hooks used as jewellery hangers. Simply screw a selection of coat hooks at varying heights to a bed room wall or inside a wardrobe door. Mix and match metals and styles to get an eclectic look and hang your necklaces and bracelets from them. 4.Finger/push plates as kick plates. We’ve come across a few folk where if wear and tear is an issue have substituted finger plates for kick plates on their internal doors as a more stylish alternative to sheet metal. One cunning individual even fixed a finger plate at the bottom of their dining room door to stop damage from their cat who scratched the door each morning waiting to get out! 5.Antique door knobs as unusual coat hooks. One of the most stylish coat racks I seen was simply a white painted board with 5 different antique door knobs attached each acting as a coat hook. 6.Finally probably the most stylish and innovative use of door furniture I’ve seen was by the folks at todaysnest.com who created a knob wall from some old white porcelain handles. An art installation it can also be used to attach other items cards etc from. Have any of our customers come across any other unusual uses for door furniture? If yes why not let us know by posting your suggestions on our face book or twitter pages.
28 November 2010
It may be snowing hard here in Newcastle, but we are still keeping busy here at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers adding a wide range of new items to the antique section of our website. With new products ranging from reclaimed toilet pulls, to antique cupboard knobs and cast iron door pulls there's a lot to see, so take a look at our antique door furniture section now to find that original and unique piece. We'll be adding more items all this week so keep your eyes peeled or check out our Twitter and Facebook pages for product updates.
22 November 2010
An Italian Mystery..... Many of us are familiar with the names of famous English door furniture manufactures such as A kenrick & Sons or Coalbrookdale but when it comes to what is possibly a lone Italian Artisan its a different problem. We were therefore intrigued when we stripped back the layers of paint on a knocker we've had for many years in our collection to discover it was stamped with both the name of the artisan "GILDO IACOVELLA" and the country of origin Italy. It is clear from the fine detail and impressive that the dragon knocker has been hand made which leaves with a question who is GILDO IACOVELLA, where in Italy did he work and what else did he produce? Can anyone out in the world of restoration help us find the answers to our Italian mystery? Why not take a look at the pictures of the dragon knocker on our facebook page which you can access from our home page & let us know...
13 November 2010
With over 20 years experience in the field of architectural antiques we've picked up a few hints and tips along the way, so are always happy to answer questions about fixing and attaching door furniture. This week one of our customers asked us how to fit a letter box spring, as this is one of our best selling items we thought we'd share our reply with you all!
Fitting a Letterbox Spring
Gently tap one end of letterbox rod through using a small screwdiver head & hammer. This will allow you to remove broken spring and slide new one into place. Hold one leg of spring in place while twisting other leg under rod so it sits against top section of letterbox. This will give you the tension on spring you require. If you find this difficult try using pliers to twist it round. Now push rod back up and tap back through hole. Your new letterbox spring has been fitted and gale force winds in your vestibule should be a thing of the past!
12 September 2010
Once again our Number 10 Downing Street Knocker has been given a mention in the press! This time it takes pride of place in an online article by Gabrielle Fagan entitled "Reveal your Kerb Appeal" for the Talk Talk website. Readers are encouraged to "copy the most famous door in Britain and buy a solid brass door knocker replicating the Victorian one on the door of No 10 Downing Street" And where to buy this iconic item of door furniture? Well where else than Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers. To read further and find out other tips to reveal kerb appeal, take a look at either our Facebook or Twitter pages both which can be reached via the badges on our home page as both include a link to Gabrielle's article.
5 September 2010
A question we frequently get asked is how do I remove my old door knobs in readiness for adding my new ones?
Removing a door knob is actually quite simple and can be done by any home owner who has both the correct size Philip head or flat head screwdriver to hand. The first step is to loosen the rose of the door knob which is the plate which lies flush to the door, by unscrewing the small screws which attach it to the door. Once the rose is loose you can then remove the door knob it's self. The pair of door knobs are attached together by a spindle, dependant on the age and style of the door knob, they can be detached in one of two ways. Older and antique door knobs normally have what is known as grub screw at the base of the door knob where it hits the rose. To remove the door knob simply unscrew from the spindle. Other door handles may have a rose with a collar. This collar normally has a slot or hole in it to allow you to screw home the grub screw. Once grub screw is firmly fixed the collar would be turned to hide it before fixing rose to door. To find grub screw simply turn rose in reverse.Once one door knob is removed you should be able to pull the pair of handles apart and out of the door. You are now ready to fit your new doorknobs. ( note many modern doorknobs have a grub screw with a hexagnol hexagonal hole in the end which requires the right size Allan key to turn. This should come with your purchase but if not your local hardware store should be able to assist you. 29 August 2010
The August Bank Holiday weekend is traditionally a time when the great British public thought's turn to home improvements and DIY. Judging by the sales of letterboxes, door knockers and door handles this week updating the front door is top of many people's lists!
So why is the appearance of our front door so important? In a recent article in the Financial Times architect Juhani Pallasmaa said that the door handle was "the handshake of a building" The architect went on to say that "the texture weight & quality can exert an effect on the body". Our motto here at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers is interior design starts on the outside and as such we understand how important quality door furniture is. After all it's the first impression your home makes on friends and visitors; and the door knocker and letterbox you choose can speak volumes about your personal style and what else may be found inside your home. This is can be summed up best in the words of author Charles Dickens who said:
"Whenever we visit a man for the first time, we contemplate his Knocker with the greatest curiosity for as well know that between the man and his knocker there will be inevitably a greater or less degree of resemblance and sympathy"
So if you are doing up your front door this bank holiday weekend, take care when choosing your door knocker as it say's more about you than you realise!
13 August 2010
We are always looking for unique and beautiful door furniture to add to our range of door knobs and door handles at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers so we are very excited to have just added four stunning hand crafted glass door knobs to our bespoke door handles range. In a range of colours from amethyst to peridot green we hope you will love our new checkerboard glass door handles as much as we do! Take a look now in the bespoke door handles category and tell us which colour is your favourite.
8 August 2010
We've had a few queries from people asking how can I tell if a brass door handle is solid brass or simply brass plated. In our experience the majority of antique door knobs will be solid brass but if you are unsure about a door handle in your home a handy tip is to try the "magnet test" using a simple fridge magnet. Simply try sticking a magnet to the brass handle. If the magnet sticks then it is not solid brass and is plated. The flaw with this test is that it's not 100% fool proof as if the magnet doesn't stick it is not a guarantee that it is brass as the plating could be on another base metal. Remember brass plated door furniture can become worn over time, so if your door handle does fail the magnet test, regular gentle cleaning such as polishing with a soft cloth and good quality brass polish is advised. 31 July 2010 Those of you who tweet will know that Friday is important in the twitter world as it's "follow friday" when tweeters recommend other tweeters to their followers with the short hand #ff. It's always nice whenra someone #ff''s your company but it's even better when they say why. That's why I have to share this great follow friday recommendation that Snobs Knobs got yesterday because it sums us up perfectly and in just 140 characters! So here goes:
#ff @SnobsKnobs for all things KNOBS! Posh Ones, snobby ones, glass ones, old, new, big and small - The place to go +nice tweep/chatty
I don't think we could have said it better ourselves if we tried! To find out more about twitter, who we follow and for exclusive advice and tips on door furniture, letterboxes, handles and more why not click on the twitter badge on our home page.
18 July 2010
At this time of year a lot of us think about selling our houses and moving home. If you're one of the thousands thinking of putting your house on the market then it's time to think about Curb Appeal. First impressions are vitally important as many of us make our mind up about a property in the first couple of minutes, so how your home looks from the curb can make or break a sale.
17 July 2010
We've updated our blog so that the newest post is now at the top of the page, making it easier for all our friends and customers to see what we've been up to at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers. Don't forget you can also follow us on Twitter and via our Facebook page both of which can be accessed via the Twitter/Facebook badges which can be found on the bottom left hand side of ourhome page. Take a look to see exclusive pictures, handy hints and to discover other great companies we follow.
It's turning into a great month as we had a second mention in the press! This time it's our Number 10 Downing Street Knocker taking front of stage with a mention in the August edition of Livingetc magazine. It's featured in the "Boost your kerb appeal" article in a segment entitled "3 of the best...knobs & knockers". Livingetc say that smart door furniture shows real attention to detail - we couldn't agree more...
5 July 2010
The team at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers has been at it again, finding yet more antique door furniture to add to the website. Take a look at the new arrivals page to see the new items added today. Finds include 3 very special but very different door knockers and one beautiful brass ceiling rose. Keep an eye on this page as more antique items will be added to the site soon!
4 July 2010
We're really excited here at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers to have had a mention in August's edition of Real Homes Magazine which is out now. We are featured in an article entitled "50 of the best sources for period features". It's always nice to get a recommendation from those in the know and we're very complimented to be viewed as a specialist in "unique knobs, window pulls and locks". There are some interesting articles in the August edition of Real Homes including George Clarke's design masterclass so why not pick up a copy now?
With years of experience and knowledge our family based team love helping our customers to find the right item of door furniture for their home. We pride ourselves on being helpful and think we have a great range of products so it always appreciated when a customer writes or emails us at Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers to say thank you or to tell us how much they like a door knocker or door knob. If you want to know what our customers have been saying then take a look at our customer feedback page which has just been updated with feedback from May and June. Alternatively if you've bought and loved one of our products drop us a line to tell us why!
15 April 2010
Did you know that now you can also follow Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers on Twitter? To follow us simply click on the follow us button at the bottom left handside of our home page. We're really enjoying being part of the twitter community sharing our thoughts, hints,tips and favorite websites with the world wide web! To see who is following us and who were following why not check us out.
26 March 2010
Customers often ask how rim locks differ from mortise locks. What should you bear in mind when picking between the two?
The main difference is in appearance. A rim lock or box lock as it is also known fits on the side of a door. Traditionally made from black iron, rim locks are also popular in brass or chrome finishes allowing the home-owner to match their lock to their choice of door handle. The key factor to consider when purchasing a rim lock is to make sure that you pick the right style of door handles to go with the lock. As the box lock is flush to the side of the door, you will need either a pair of door knobs with the rose at only one end or door knobs with loose roses where one can be removed. Door knobs with fixed roses are not suitable as the second rose will prevent the door knob from sitting snugly against the lock.
Mortise locks however are set within the door rather than attached to it's surface so can paired with handles with either fixed or loose roses.
Both mortise and rim locks were used on victorian doors and both come in a variety of sizes. If you intend using door knobs rather than lever handles make sure which ever lock you choose is long enough to allow the turning of the knobs without grazing your knuckles on the door frame.
If you're not sure what type of lock you have simply make sure that when you buy door knobs that you pick ones with loose roses as they can be used with both types of locks.
7 March 2010
If you've not taken a look at our interior door handles category for a while then you are in for a treat. Since the New Year we've been busy sourcing yet more styles of door handles to add to our range. Recent additions include three beautiful sets of door handles crafted in wood. For a modern twist on a traditional design take a look at our Ebony and Nickel Beehive door handles perfect for new and old homes alike. While fans of classic design will appreciate the Bournville door knobs which come with an ebonised or oak finish. These door handles are great value too with the Ebony and Nickel Beehive door handles retailing at £46.00 a pair while the Bournville handles sell at just £39.50 a pair.
7 February 2010
We are really excited about our new range of hand crafted glass door handles. Made in England using traditional methods these beautiful, high quality glass door handles are suitable for either rim locks or mortise locks and can be found in our bespoke door handles/knobs category. With jewel like colours they really are worth a look!
28 January 2010
In response to customer demand we have added four new hinges to our push plates and hinges category here at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers. Sold in pairs the new range includes butt hinges as well as ball bearing hinges. With a variety of finishes and sizes available there is a door hinge here to meet everyone's needs.
13 January 2010
We are really excited to add not one but two Arts and Crafts Antique Letterboxes to our Antique door furniture range. Both of these letter boxes stand out not only because they are made from cast iron but also because unusually they are vertical letterboxes complete with door knockers.
For those of you who don't know much about the Arts and Crafts movement it began as a search for authentic style and was in part a reaction against the new designs shown in the Great Exhibition in 1851. Items designed by Arts and Craft designers often reflect simple design without unnecessary decoration and are sometime almost rustic in appearance. Inspiration was taken from a number of sources including nature and medieval design. Function not ornament was paramount.
9 January 2010
The snow is falling and it's cold outside so at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers we are keeping ourselves busy adding all the new antique finds to the website. Check out the antique door furniture section for today's additions which include sash window locks and a set of brass drawer pull handles. More items to come soon!
27 December 2009
Have you spotted the royal connection at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers? No well if you take a look at our antique door furniture section the eagle eyed amongst you might just spot a recent addition to our store in the form of item ALB112 which is a bronze Art Nouveau letterbox. This antique letterbox was made by W R Leggott Ltd of London and Bradford who also made the key's for England's premier home - Buckingham Palace.
24 December 2009
December is always a pleasure as true items of post such as letters and cards drop through my letterbox rather than the usual bills and flyers. These days it seems as if letterboxes have become decorative items of door furniture rather than the functional items they used to be.
Private letter boxes were first introduced in Paris, France in the 1700's. They became popular in Europe in the mid to late 1800's with the British Post Office encouraging the installation of letterboxes or letter plates as they were also known from 1849 to assist with the delivery of post after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post in 1840.
Although a functional item, design was not ignored as can be seen by the elegant curves of an art nouveau letterbox or the hansome engraving of a victorian letterbox.
We may not send much post anymore in this age of mobiles and the internet but we can still celebrate great design! So why not make a statement with your letterbox? After all as we say at Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers - interior design starts on the outside! 22 December 2009
Keep an eye on our antique door furniture section over the forthcoming weeks as we'll be adding new antique items to our range. Perfect for all those where home improvements is top of their New Year resolutions!
21 December 2009
Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers would like to wish all their customers and clients a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
12 December 2009
It's always gratifying when our products get a mention in the press, so we were really pleased to see that our Number 10 Downing Street Knocker got not one but two mentions in publications in recent weeks. Firstly well known columnist Alison Cork selected it in her best festive buys feature for the Daily Mail in the section wish list for house. While Period Ideas magazine have featured it in the Expert Advice on Historic Style section in the January issue which is on sale now. To take a peak at these articles check out our fan page on facebook which can be accessed through the join us button at the bottom of our home page.
5 December 2009
Is your front door graced by an item of door furniture from Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers? If you proudly display one of our door knockers, door pulls or letterboxes, then why not share this with us by posting a photograph of your front door on our facebook page! You can join us on facebook and become a fan by using the join us button at the bottom of our home page. Festive doors with all the decorations are particularly welcome!
1st December 2009
Customers are always asking us how to attach an item of door furniture or where they can find the various springs, bolts and screws required to maintain a much loved fixture. Well ask no more as in response to customer demand Snobs Knobs Posh Knockers have introduced a new category to their on line shop - called Spare Parts. If you are looking for a replacement spring for a redundant letterbox or the correct screws to attach a door knocker then this is the place to shop.
26 November 2009
Snobs Knobs Posh Knockers is on Facebook - for the latest information on what we're up to, new products and promotions why not join us and become a fan of your favourite door furniture company. Just use the join us button at the bottom of our home page.
24 November 2009.
BBC 4 have screened some great programmes this month celebrating Art Deco and it's influences.
Art Deco revolutionised every aspect of design from grand buildings and ocean liners to door knobs and door knockers. It introduced a sense of modernity which is as relevant today as it was then.
If these programmes inspired you to add a touch of Art Deco to your home then why not browse our shop as you find a number of items of Art Deco door furniture in our range. With items in categories from Letterboxes to Interior door handles. |
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