in pursuit of
heurtoirdeporte
fashion
A knock-knock joke would be too easy. Though a little
levity might enliven the weary traveler who has come all
this way, through a thicket of befuddling directions and
weekend traffic to find the urbane salutations of these
striking characters. Hello, lion, tiger, snarling dragon. As
a first impression, the right door knocker is an unrivaled
beauty. Drawing the eye in with decadent shapes and
lustrous tactility—it is a magnetic accessory, dressing
the exterior of the house like a velvet rope, alluding to
something special inside. Where the neighbors seem
content to have a humdrum piece or (heavens) a
featureless doorbell, those with discerning taste cannot
bear to extend a welcome with just an ordinary metal
bauble.
Solid and unabashedly sophisticated, these pieces
carry with them a bit of fantastic lore: during Medieval
times, door knockers of a certain style symbolized the
office of a doctor—an elegant asethetic indicator
for passersby seeking treatment. Similar fancies
(real or imagined) can be summoned by Baltica, an
impressive artisan-produced collection from Lithuania
that features artful twists, turns, fascinating creatures
and forms.
A door knocker should have history and elegance,
like the passionate creations of Peter van Cronenburg.
From his studio in Belgium, the craftsman brings his
boundless curiosity, a blend of explorer and scholar
to this graceful and nuanced collection. To the guest
standing in front of the architectural wonder of a
Bronzes de France piece, the question is always one
of how heavily to knock—a careful tap or confident
thump? Fashioned in Normandy, the glorious 24-karat
nitrate goldplated noblesse of one traditional style
merely hints at the company’s dramatic handmade
trove (all of which are meant to be touched).
