required hinges to hang them, holdbacks to retain them in open

IRON HARDWARE
WROUGHT
FOR EXTERIOR SHUTTERS
Donald
Double
required
locks
inside
hinges
Streeter
hung sash
windows
called
to hang them, holdbacks
to secure them shut,
the building.
New Jersey
Franklinville,
for
exterior
to retain
and some way of pulling
shutters,
and they
them in open position,
them closed
from
ExteriorInterior
Fig. 1
on the
"Hooks
bottom
ease of
board-lined
on one side and paneled
Above, a pair of shutters,
Delaware Valley,
New Jersey.
other side,
late 18th century,
at the top and
and hinges"
[Joseph Moxon's terms for strap hinges]
for
so positioned
and a bar lock at the rail below center,
rails,
access when lower sash was raised.
A
PT
Vol. VII
No. 1
1975
Page 38
Fig.
Fig.
2 (above)
Spring
1.
The projecting
catch
nose
former
shape
the shutter
broken,
but
and engaged the latch
its
shown in
in
slot
for the pair of shutters
detail,
the
bar
catch has pierced
of the
bar, held down by the spring,
indicated
here
line.
by chalk
with rivets.
shutter
Offset
strap hinge and pintle,
Fig. 3 (below)
the use of
well after
Shutters
commonly were hung on such hinges until
be made
that offsets
Since it was necessary
cast iron butts on doors.
to accommodate the reveal
at window openings,
it
is unlikely
that most
The hinge was such that it
of them were imported from England.
at the anvil.
be made easily
smith,
completely
by any competent
)_
/
APT
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
Page 39
could
in
varied
Pintles
the two piece,
welded collar
with weights,
sometimes
the
on the face of the frame, to
tions
the pintle
was driven
here shown, to
form, from the single
forging
When sash were hung and regulated
type.
were mounted on plates
and screwed
pintles
In other such situaescape the weight box.
clear through the frame, along the edge of
the
over
Fig.
weight
4 (left)
box
and
clinched
Hinge
pintle
before
interior
trim
was
applied.
on plate.
Two forms of 18th
Fig. 5 (right)
for security.
through the shutter
APIT
the
century
Vol.
VII
ring
No. 1
pulls,
1975
both
clinched
Page 40
Shutter bar lock for use with a spring catch on a plate
Fig. 6 (above)
and usually
These bar locks were made in many sizes,
(see Figure 8).
followed
the form of the hinge in design.
7 (below)
Fig.
acted
Shutter
bar lock
with
in the same way as the spring
latching.
on a chain
escutcheon,
slot
catch,
In operation
and key.
except
the shutter,
the iron
As the nose-pin
pierced
or thong) was thrust
through the slot against
closed.
the shutters
locking
key (hanging
the iron
pcaii
A
PIT
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
this
it was not self
that
Page 41
"
.*'
*4iFp
^
.
c
...i?_?
I"
s^:"
.F
.I*
bar lock
Fig. 8 Spring catch for shutter
New Jersey,
1795.
Greenwich,
Sill
Early
Mounted
in the
19th
Spring
century,
(see
Figure
Shutter
Locks
6),
a new form of shutter
Dr. Wood House,
lock
appeared,
and mounted on the window
forged of spring steel,
by then more plentiful,
with a catching hook fastened to the active leaf of the shutter.
sill,
Two or more screws held the spring to the sill,
with a driven staple
acting
as a yoke
around
its
neck
to hold
it
As the
in position.
the hook, similar to the common thumb latch
closed,
times plate mounted, sometimes driven and clinched,
shutter
drive keeper, somerode over the spring,
A thumb press acted as a
it and locked itself
behind it.
depressed
These spring
release
button from inside
the house (see Figures
9-12).
the 19th
of
the
first
catches
on
built
houses
during
quarter
appear
century,
and in turn were superseded
A
PT
by the less
Vol. VII
No. 1
expensive
1975
shutter
Page 42
bolts.
.
Sill mounted spring
Fig. 9 (above)
lock, Dr. Bodo Otto House,
shutter
New Jersey,
1819.
Mickleton,
catch in place,
Shutter
Fig. 10 (left)
New Jersey.
Dr. Bodo Otto House, Mickleton,
u
Friends'
Meeting
Shutter,
Fig. 11 (left)
19th
(early
House, Woodstown, New Jersey
Iron
to 1785 building).
century addition
shutter
spring
dog and catch for sill
bar locks.
earlier
lock,
replacing
%M 4 -1.
Fig. 12 (below)
catch.
Well made spring
'P
A P
T
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
Page 43
sill
Shutter
Just
when the
not been determined,
shutter
bolt
Bolts
on plate
came into
but sometime during the very late
general
use
has
18th or 19th
Bolts
it superseded
the forged types of locks just described.
century
Dutch
on
were
in
round
use
of
on plates,
section,
enough,
strangely
houses in the Hudson Valley during the late 18th century.
its wide development
depended on a ready supply of
Certainly
rolled
sheet
iron and bar stock,
for a minimal amount of forging
was
The same conditions
in raw material
their manufacture.
necessary
and
of
the
Norfolk
the
made
latch,
development
availability
possible
other early 19th century forms of hardware.
that many, if not most of these bolts
It is quite likely
were American made.
Those so far examined which bear makers' marks
indicate
of this form bear some common characteristhis.
Early bolts
tics which set them apart from the later mass produced machine made
ones.
and the
bolt shaft is of thicker
the earlier
section,
Usually
are often finished
with a forged bevel
plates
over its predecessors,
The shutter
bolt had several
advantages
both to maker and user.
It need not be made to fit known shutter
or consume great forging
as was the case with the bar locks,
thickness,
to make
Thus it was possible
catches.
time, as did the spring steel
than to order.
And for the
them in advance,
for inventory,
rather
installation.
it meant an easier
carpenter
for
with
Fig. 13 Shutter bolt,
forged bevels,
what different
from what appears to be the
such bolts.
APT
Vol.
VII
somehand grasp,
forged tail
on most
standard
thumb slide
No. 1
1975
Page 44
13
;12
Fig.
14 (top)
Necked
shutter
bolt,
!
2
i4
marked "R. BAXTERPHILADELPHIA."
Fig. 15 (middle)
Shutter
bolt with forged bevels,
2" wide,
Bolt shaft 1/4" thick,
Marked "J?. SMITH."
3/4" wide.
Collection
James Sorber.
Fig. 16 (bottom)
bevels.
8" Shutter
A
PT
bolt,
Vol.
7 1/2"
marked "N. CUSTER PHILAD. 8,"
VII
No. 1
1975
Page 45
long.
forged
)Ii
,
.I ^.w
owz-.. *II
*
-...?
&c^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~....
Shutter bolt marked "J. G. FLEGEL PHILA. 14."
Fig. 17 (above)
What appears to be a
lock.
it has a secret
This is unusual because
flat head wood screw below the maker's mark is in fact a button,
a spring actuated
release
pin which engages
which when pushed, will
this
When in place with other wood screws,
the bolt when locked.
lock a
to
reason
be
no
Since there would
would be unnoticed.
detail
it
available
bolt if mounted inside,
only from within the building,
possibly on folding
seems this must have been used on the exterior,
that
The size stamp mark (14) indicates
of a shop window.
shutters
so
as others
marked,
in more than one size,
this bolt was available
from stock at hardware stores.
available
and were probably
of FLEGEL bolt,
Back view
Fig. 18 (below)
James Sorber
Collection
:
1
5
APT
:f
,I1-1 i
..
.
*
ii
;Is I
Vol.
i
VII
isI
I1
showing
,:
1
tiW
spring
arrangement.
,
No. 1
1975
Page 46
Shutter bolt marked "R. T. HURD," and in smaller
Fig. 19 (above)
of the two names is unclear
"W. RUSSELL." The significance
letters,
at present.
The bolt bears a hole where a stud
Fig. 20 (below)
the plate
so the bolt could be moved from within.
Collection
James Sorber
APT
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
projected
Page 47
through
Shutter bolt with decorative
plate of thin iron,
Fig. 21 (above)
and
nest
when unlocked,
in
a
The bolt rests
hammered, not rolled.
is forged
Staples
of 3/8" x 7/8" bar iron,
are bevel
mounted vertically
to the plate.
filed.
and near-disk
bolt with forged bevels
Large shutter
Fig. 22 (below)
door bolts.
to interior
similar
is spring locked,
Bolt shaft
ends.
Plate is 1/8" thick and appears to be
1" wide.
Shaft is 7/16" thick,
from a warehouse
possibly
Very substantial,
hammered, not rolled.
shutter.
F3i
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
Page 48
Holdbacks
Shutter
If
variety
it
settlements,
is clear
But the
regions,
is
there
of detail
that
one item
within
is
the
(Shutter
of iron
hardware
dog.
which
shows
form throughout
a common design
shutter
Dogs)
They occur
they were the work of many smiths,
the
greatest
the English
in such variety
very likely
that
local
form by so many, in such scattered
adherence
to one basic
and settled
by the English,
point to a common tradition.
it
men.
The
Pennsylvania Germans sometimes made this form, but their designs more
often are far different,
when they used the swivel type dog at all.
The
same is
true of the Dutch in the Hudson River Valley.
That common form is what has been described
as a rat tail
dog,
of a forged iron piece,
mounted on a spike,
out of
to swivel
consisting
the way of the shutter
as it is moved, and so made as to fall
into place
The
section
is
a
flat
disk
below
which
by gravity.
top
usually
shape,
it narrows into a neck, then swells
into a diamond center
for
section
the swivel,
then terminating
in a graceful
scroll
of tapered round
which is the counterweight.
section,
to fasten
They were made to drive into brick or stone walls,
to frame construction,
or to mount on an arm from the window sill,
on the architectural
detail.
depending
I
Fig.
23
Typical
form of rat
A
P T
tail
dog on spike,
Vol.
VII
No. 1
6 1/2"
1975
high.
Page 49
I
4
aSsa^
.. _
Fig.
24 (left)
Rat tail
Dated
Fig. 25 (right)
National
Park Service,
A
dog on plate
for wood wall,
example from the Bishop
1787.
Scale is 1".
P
T
Vol.
VII
No. 1
5" high.
White House,
1975
Philadelphia,
Page 50
la
Rat tail
Fig. 26 (top left)
dog mounted
in a mortar
on an offset
to fasten
spike,
6" high.
chink in brick or stone wall,
of the
Fig. 27 (top right)
Simple variant
rat tail
dog from a house in Delaware
ca. 1735.
built
County, Pennsylvania,
Scale is 1".
Shutter
Fig. 28 (left)
dog mounted on
an angle bar for wood frame, 6" high.
APT
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
Page 51
rat tail
Modified
arm. Usually
dog mounted on a sill
Fig. 29 (above)
to assure uniformity
of
this was done when the wall was of stone,
holes
in
Arm
drill
the
to
stone.
is
without
10"
having
long,
position
dog is 5 3/4" high.
S form of dog.
Fig. 30 (below)
found on some early 18th century
in great variety
of design.
APT
Not so common as the
built
houses.
English
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
rat tail,
It too,
Page 52
it
is
is
found
Spring
Type Dogs
to swivel
In addition
type dogs, there were more sophisticated
made.
forms embodying springs,
locally
They were more stable,
possibly
The workmanand no doubt were more expensive.
on a pivot,
not swinging
was not
from wall to face of shutter
Since projection
ship is excellent.
and
still
fit
into
that
the spring must
easily
yet
space
operate
great,
in place.
with rigidity
enough for driving
firmly,
to
to the shaft,
Fig. 31 This spring type dog is bent at right angles
action.
enough length of spring so it would have an easy operating
provide
of
This is a one piece forging
5 3/4" long, with 7/16" wide spring.
James Sorber; from New England.
Collection
spring steel.
A
PT
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
Page 53
Fig. 32 (above)
the axis of the
Scroll
easily.
surface.
driving
in line with
The smith has doubled the spring section
to work
of
have
in
order
to
spring
enough
length
shaft,
and shoulder
end makes a thumb press for release,
provides
one piece forging.
6" long, with 3/4" wide spring,
Small spring dog, also from New England (see Figure 31),
Fig. 33 (below)
This form is two
this form is also found in other sections.
although
pieces,
with the back plate
and arm of iron,
and with the spring
to the under side of the
of steel.
The spring is riveted
and is pressed
down in its slot with the small disk press.
James Sorber.
Collection
4" projection.
APT
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
section
arm,
projecting
7/8" wide,
Page 54
Halved
Joint
Shutter
Strap
Hinges
At about the end of the first
quarter of the 19th century,
The strap continued
to be used, but
took a new form.
shutter
hinges
The architectural
was eliminated.
the drive or plate mounted pintle
room for such mounting,
trim on window frames then in style gave little
and shutters were usually mounted so as to close pretty much in line
with
the
of deeper within
instead
the wall,
under
To achieve
proper fastening
was made with a halved
joint,
opening.
these conditions,
the hinge
the pin welded in the hinge instead
of
and the other part of the hinge set back in the opening
the pintle,
to one or the other.
the frame, and fastened
beside
along the wall,
.U
Fig. 34 (above)
hinge.
Halved
joint
shutter
strap
in Alloway,
Detail
of building
Fig. 35 (left)
dated 1838, with shutter
New Jersey,
hung on
and with shutter
halved joint
strap hinges
bolt
(see Figure 36).
Fig. 36 (below)
Alloway,
place.
View of shutter
hinge
New Jersey,
1838.
---l:
w
~~~
,-...
APTi
Vol.
VII
No. 1
1975
Page 55
in
Research
some of
will
be rivet
shutters
If it is
positions
or sill
holes
for the projecting
Hinge pintles,
are missing,
thought
of the
spring
catches.
pin.
or their
scars,
puttied
or of different
top and bottom rails,
and a hole
can give
there
were used,
in the inactive
clues,
if
even
form, with butt hinges
the
in use.
were the batten
type, study the
the
for panel shutters
ran across
shutters
Hinges
so the pintles
either
are
to look for marks of
If bar locks
or plugged,
that original
marks.
pintle
carry
they will
If the shutters
it would be well
and now carry bolts,
bar locks
shutter
are in place and original,
or replacements.
hardware,
If shutters
the original
18th century,
earlier
Notes
to the top and
would be close
If batten construction
was used, pintles
bottom of the window opening.
and would help
would be lower from the top and higher from the bottom,
of battens.
to locate
the placement
driven into masonry, may
Shutter
dogs, if mounted on spikes
Over many years,
the swiveling
still
or their broken shanks.
dog
exist,
so much so that worn arcs can be seen from their
sometimes
gets loose,
Lower edges
which gives some idea of their sizes.
rubbing on the wall,
of shutters
also often bear wear marks from the movement of the dog, and
locate
them.
As with other forms of iron hardware,
research
is helped by
comparing scars and nailing patterns with original hardware of the period.
Some knowledge of which forms were in use during each period will be useful
in knowing
what
only to the design
all
there
is
be a helpful
18th
and early
to look
for.
Therefore,
form, but to its
to go by.
The photographs
guide to the various
19th
attention
method of fastening,
shutter
reproduced
here
should
be paid
for this
are
not
may be
intended
to
hardware forms used in the
century.
Lower edge of lined shutter,
Chester County, Pennsylvania,
Fig. 37 (above)
and opened across
is worn where it was closed
Shutter
early 18th century.
the top of the shutter
of rounded form.
dog, quite clearly
A
PT
Vol. VII
No. 1
1975
Page 56