A Stylish Entrance: Latches, Knobs & Doors

When I was very little, we had a couple of charcoal sketches framed on the wall. One was of an iron latch. I think there was a hand in the picture as well, but maybe it was just of the latch. Ever since then, I have always found latches, locks and doorknobs fascinating objets d’art in their own right. So I like to photograph them when I travel…

A lead or pewter door in Prague with a serpent knocker
A lead or pewter door in Prague with a serpent knocker.
ornate door handle
This door set, also in Prague, clearly did not come from Home Depot.
Wrought iron reinforced door
Wrought iron reinforced door, again in Prague.
brass door handle on black door
Brass door knob on a black door worn from use.
Grey lion door knocker
You’d probably think twice about reaching for this fierce knocker in St.Lizier, France.
Carved door and frame
The lion on the right managed to swallow a visitor, so be warned.
worn wooden door
Sometimes the patina on the door is almost a Turner painting.
intricate door hardware
The blacksmith really put his heart into this door set.
Door with embellishment in London
The juxtaposition of different textures make doors and door frames good photography subjects, as with this London door.
wood door, stone jamb, stuccoed wall #7
Sometimes it’s all about the textures, as in this French door and wall.
carved Penang doors
Penang, Malaysia has a lot of beautiful old doors around almost every corner.
Fish gate latch
This gate handle was in Chiangmai, Thailand.
red column with carved door
Foreign scripts can be so beautiful.
carved door with #25
Tropical humidity and heat can take a toll on wood finishes.
Istanbul brass latches
Islamic patterns adorn this door hardware in Istanbul, another great place to photograph doors and latches.
seablue stuccoed wall and steps
Deco simplicity, too, makes a stylish entrance, as at this San Francisco house.