Knock, Knock
Just as the computer hasn't completely kicked the handwritten note to the realm of obscurity, so too the doorbell hasn't KO'ed the knocker from entryways everywhere. There's just something about gripping a hefty piece of metal and rapping it against a sturdy wood portal that says, "I have arrived!" And, on the flip side, a well-chosen knocker can send a message about exactly what kind of home you've come to (try that, Mr. Plastic Pushbutton).
In the following slides, you'll find some truly knockout knockers, from simple, wrought-iron rings befitting a rustic cottage to intricately ornate brass lion heads that would look right at home guarding the door of an Italianate villa. Traditional or modern, antique or reproduction, stately or with a touch of whimsy—cast-bronze Chihuahua, anyone?—a knocker is an easy and affordable calling card for your house's personality. And you can't knock that.
Shown, the bronze finish on this nearly 2-pound knocker was hand-buffed along its curves and relief areas to let a hint of the solid brass below shine through. about $345; Preguerin
