Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian Door Handles: A Period Guide

Supplied by Trade Door Handles, trusted UK supplier of architectural ironmongery since 1976, with quick nationwide delivery.

Period homes deserve period ironmongery. The right Georgian door handles, Victorian door knobs or Edwardian levers make original panel doors look as they should, while the wrong ones stand out straight away. This guide explains the styles that suit each era, the knobs, levers and finishes to look for, and how to choose traditional door handles from the Heritage Brass range by M.Marcus.

Many of our customers in the Lake District and Cumbria live in period properties, and restoring doors is something we help with every week at our Kendal and Carlisle showrooms.

Quick answer: for Georgian door handles, choose simple brass knobs or plain levers on a backplate in polished or unlacquered brass. For Victorian homes, choose mortice knobs on rose or plate, often reeded or beehive shaped. For Edwardian homes, choose shaped levers on long backplates. Antique brass and polished brass suit all three.

Georgian interiors are known for symmetry and restraint, and the ironmongery follows. Door knobs were common, often fitted to a rim lock on the face of the door, with simple shapes and little decoration. If you prefer a lever, choose a plain, elegant design on a backplate. Heritage Brass makes Georgian door handles on backplate in a classic shape, and plain polished brass door handles and knobs suit the period well.

Original Georgian door handles were often knobs, but most people restoring a Georgian house today use a mix: Georgian door knobs on the principal rooms where the look matters most, and plain Georgian style door handles on a backplate where ease of use matters, such as bathrooms and bedrooms used by children. Keep the shapes simple, keep the finish consistent, and the doors will look right. Georgian door handles look best in polished brass or unlacquered brass, and plain knobs in the same finish can sit alongside them without clashing.

• Plain round or oval knobs, rather than heavily patterned ones.
• Slim, gently curved levers on a backplate, rather than chunky modern shapes.
• Reeded details, which suit Georgian and Regency homes.
• Rim knobs where the door has an original rim lock on its face.

Victorian homes brought more decoration and the mortice lock became widespread, so mortice knobs are the classic choice. Reeded, beehive and ball shaped knobs in brass, and porcelain knobs, were all popular. See the Victoria mortice knobs on plate, the Victoria mortice and rim knobs and the Victoria lever handles on backplate.

Edwardian homes are lighter and more elegant, and shaped lever handles on long backplates suit their tall panel doors. Heritage Brass makes Edwardian door handles on backplate in latch, lock and bathroom versions, and the Windsor, Waldorf and Sophia designs suit the period too.

	Door knobs	Lever handles
Look	Most authentic for Georgian and Victorian doors	Suits Edwardian and later homes
Lock	Mortice knobs with a mortice latch, or rim knobs with a rim lock	Mortice latch or sash lock behind a backplate or rose
Ease of use	Need a grip and twist	Easier for children and older people
Latch needed	A 3 inch tubular latch or longer, so knuckles clear the frame	Standard tubular latch or sash lock
Bathroom	Add a bathroom bolt or thumb turn	Bathroom backplate or rose with thumb turn

Heritage Brass mortice knobs are sprung on one side only, and work best with a 3 inch tubular latch or longer. Our mortice knobs and rim knobs guide explains the latches and sizes in detail.

Reeding, fine parallel ribs along a handle or knob, is a traditional detail that suits Georgian, Regency and Victorian homes. Heritage Brass has a large reeded door handles range, including reeded levers on backplate and rose, reeded beehive mortice knobs, and matching reeded window hardware for sash and casement windows, so the same detail can run through the house.

• Polished brass: the classic bright brass of Georgian and Victorian homes, lacquered to keep its shine.
• Antique brass: a darker, aged brass that looks at home on original doors straight away.
• Unlacquered brass: ages naturally to a warm patina, the most authentic look for a restoration. See our unlacquered brass guide.
• Polished nickel: a warm silver that suits grand Victorian and Edwardian interiors.
• Porcelain: Heritage Brass porcelain door knobs come in plain white, gold line, white crackle and cream crackle, on porcelain or solid brass bases, a classic Victorian look.

For a full comparison of how each finish looks and ages, read our solid brass finishes guide.

• Escutcheons and keyhole covers in the same design as the knob or lever.
• Finger plates on busy doors, a traditional Victorian detail.
• Solid brass butt hinges in the same finish, so the knuckles match.
• Front doors: Victorian door knockers, letter plates and centre door knobs. Our door furniture accessories guide covers them all.
• Windows: sash fasteners and sash lifts in the same finish. See the window furniture guide.

1. Take a photo of the old handle or knob and the edge of the door before you remove anything. It tells us the latch or lock type.
2. On original doors, a backplate is often the easiest way to cover the marks left by old fittings.
3. Check door thickness. Old doors vary, and a thicker door may need a longer spindle.
4. Use one style and finish per floor, rather than mixing eras from room to room.
5. If in doubt, keep it simple. Plain brass knobs and Georgian door handles on a backplate suit almost any period home.