Doorknob

Art Historical Context

This unassuming yet charming doorknob, crafted around 1850 from mottled brown earthenware, a glimpse into everyday American life during the mid-19th century. just 2½ inches in diameter, its simple, rounded form was designed for practicality, likely adorning doors in modest homes, farmhouses, or urban dwellings. The mottled brown surface—created by natural variations in low-fired clay—gives each piece a unique, earthy texture, evoking the quality of vernacular pottery before industrialization. In the antebellum era, earthenware hardware like this provided an affordable alternative toicier meta...