Once upon a time sparkling, multi-faceted glass doorknobs came standard in new homes.
Now about 80 years later these gems are mined like diamonds at salvage yards and flea markets.
You can also find reproductions of these beauties at your local hardware store.
Available in a variety of shapes and colors from octagonal, rosette and fluted ones to clear, amber and amethyst ones you can lend any space a little glitter with the enduring beauty of glass doorknobs.
These jewels didn't gain popularity until after the United States entered World War I.
Metal was saved for the war effort as it was used to build planes and make ammunition.
Even though there was a metal shortage there was still plenty of sand around to make glass.
And so began America's love affair with glass doorknobs for their homes.
Used both inside and out they added a bit of elegance and beauty that metal could not.
Initially most glass knobs were clear and featured six, eight, or 12 facets.
Their faces were flat so you could peer inside to see star, bullet, and pin-prick designs molded into their bases.
Less common were colored-glass knobs in robin's egg and cobalt blues, emerald, amber, violet, white milk, and Vaseline glass (which got its yellow-green color from adding trace amounts of uranium to the mold.
) There were also different shapes from ovals and octagons to rosettes and crystal globes with tiny bubbles inside.
It was easy to find some that added some extra sparkle to your décor.
Eventually trends turned back to metal to compliment sleek, industrial interiors, but glass doorknobs are still a cut above the rest.
If you have children it is common to put them on less frequently used doors to ensure they will last longer.
A closet or perhaps French doors leading to a dining room would be ideal.
Always ensuring that your guests will be dazzled by your doorknobs is ideal.
Glass doorknobs also complement many types of décor from sleek and modern to shabby chic and of course Victorian.
From pink to white and milky green the soft simple colors of these door knobs is what adds to their allure whether they shimmer like jewels or shine like spring fresh pastels.
Add some pink rosette ones to the white door to your daughter's room and she'll feel like a princess.
Try bubbly blue ones on your sea themed bathroom door and you'll feel like Baby Beluga every time you go in or out of there.
These knobs just simply feel good in your hand.
Cold and heavy in classic elegant shapes these glass beauties are a lot sexier than their metal counterparts.
When you accent areas with defined details like glass door knobs, rooms can be transformed from practical and simple to supple and seductive in a flash.
Who doesn't want a home with doors that beg to be opened to reveal the treasure that lies behind them? Relics of the past or modern reproductions, either way glass knobs are becoming a window on great décor.
Now about 80 years later these gems are mined like diamonds at salvage yards and flea markets.
You can also find reproductions of these beauties at your local hardware store.
Available in a variety of shapes and colors from octagonal, rosette and fluted ones to clear, amber and amethyst ones you can lend any space a little glitter with the enduring beauty of glass doorknobs.
These jewels didn't gain popularity until after the United States entered World War I.
Metal was saved for the war effort as it was used to build planes and make ammunition.
Even though there was a metal shortage there was still plenty of sand around to make glass.
And so began America's love affair with glass doorknobs for their homes.
Used both inside and out they added a bit of elegance and beauty that metal could not.
Initially most glass knobs were clear and featured six, eight, or 12 facets.
Their faces were flat so you could peer inside to see star, bullet, and pin-prick designs molded into their bases.
Less common were colored-glass knobs in robin's egg and cobalt blues, emerald, amber, violet, white milk, and Vaseline glass (which got its yellow-green color from adding trace amounts of uranium to the mold.
) There were also different shapes from ovals and octagons to rosettes and crystal globes with tiny bubbles inside.
It was easy to find some that added some extra sparkle to your décor.
Eventually trends turned back to metal to compliment sleek, industrial interiors, but glass doorknobs are still a cut above the rest.
If you have children it is common to put them on less frequently used doors to ensure they will last longer.
A closet or perhaps French doors leading to a dining room would be ideal.
Always ensuring that your guests will be dazzled by your doorknobs is ideal.
Glass doorknobs also complement many types of décor from sleek and modern to shabby chic and of course Victorian.
From pink to white and milky green the soft simple colors of these door knobs is what adds to their allure whether they shimmer like jewels or shine like spring fresh pastels.
Add some pink rosette ones to the white door to your daughter's room and she'll feel like a princess.
Try bubbly blue ones on your sea themed bathroom door and you'll feel like Baby Beluga every time you go in or out of there.
These knobs just simply feel good in your hand.
Cold and heavy in classic elegant shapes these glass beauties are a lot sexier than their metal counterparts.
When you accent areas with defined details like glass door knobs, rooms can be transformed from practical and simple to supple and seductive in a flash.
Who doesn't want a home with doors that beg to be opened to reveal the treasure that lies behind them? Relics of the past or modern reproductions, either way glass knobs are becoming a window on great décor.