Knockers

Think of a door knocker and the mind goes to a splendid lion's head, or the time honoured brass bull ring. Door knockers have an important part to play in a home's personality. They are the first point of contact for visitors, and they set the tone for the point of entry to a house. A handsome panelled front entrance is enhanced by a door knocker of shining brass, giving an appearance of warmth and substance to the home. Conversely, a cheap and insubstantial fitting detracts from the overall impression.

Door knockers are manufactured almost solely in brass, with both traditional and modern designs selling steadily, if not spectacularly.

Brass is undoubtedly the number one seller in New Zealand — the advantage of brass is that it doesn 't rust but the disadvantage is that it tarnishes.
Photography: John Pettitt

Most are made in New Zealand but we also import door knockers from the United Kingdom, India and Australia.

The plain oval brass ring, known as the bull ring, is the most popular followed by the lion's head. Other patterns available in the market range from the very ornate — grecian ladies, urns, gloved hands, the florentine, for the pa rochial, a brass tiki — to the simple and functional.