Liz's Antique Hardware in Los Angeles
I always try to include as much as I can during my business trips, so they are productive and fun. My most recent visit to California filled two days with television shoots, delicious food, and artistry.
Last week, I traveled to Los Angeles for some important media commitments. When I wasn’t needed on set, I tried to safely visit shops and other establishments that could provide information and inspiration - for myself and for our businesses. One stop was Liz's Antique Hardware, owned by author, curator, and residential hardware expert, Liz Gordon. Liz's Antique Hardware has an amazing collection of household objects, such as drawer pulls, towel racks, sconces, doorknobs, hinges, handles, hooks, and more - there was so much to see in every aisle.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
-
- Liz opened her Los Angeles shop at a former dry cleaners in 1992. The space is now filled with antique, vintage, and contemporary door, window, and furniture hardware, lighting, and all kinds of bath accessories.
-
- The aisles are completely filled from floor to ceiling. There are more than one million household objects one cannot live without – ranging in vintage from the 1860s through the 1960s.
-
- Many of the pieces were saved from remodels and demolitions, mostly from homes, or former hotels, banks, department stores, and other buildings that had specialty pieces.
-
- Here are some vintage door handles. What Liz appreciates is the environmental aspect -so many pieces are saved from going into landfills.
-
- Here, an entire wall of brass and iron door hinges, circa 1880 to 1940.
-
- Here’s a closer look. A hinge by definition is a jointed metal device, one leaf of which is affixed to a door rim and the other affixed to the doorjamb, that allows a door to open and close. Most residential door hinges are made of steel or brass to prevent corrosion.
-
- The key is to stay organized. Here, Liz categorizes bolts, fasteners, and locks in an old library library card catalog cabinet – every drawers is labeled with the item and the material.
-
- In this corner – all kinds of faucet sets and parts.
-
- These are porcelain bathroom sconces – all in excellent condition.
-
- And these are antique porcelain bathroom sconces, circa 1900 to 1930.
-
- Here is an assortment of contemporary Lucite cabinet and bathroom hardware.
-
- On this wall, more bathroom accessories in porcelain and metal.
-
- These are antique brass, nickel, and glass towel bars, hooks, and toilet paper holders, circa 1900.
-
- On another peg board are hundreds of doorknobs, doorplates, keyhole covers – some plain in design, some very ornate.
-
- Antique and vintage doorknobs were made in a variety of materials, such as wood, porcelain, milk glass, Bakelite, and metal.
-
- There was something to see at every turn. I admired so many of the pieces.
-
- These are iron exterior sconces. The sconce is a very old form of light fixture, historically used with candles and oil lamps. These are run by electricity and are covered with glass.
-
- These are Art Deco sconces and Murano glass sconces. Murano glass is created only on the island of Murano, located within the borders of the city of Venice in Northern Italy. Murano’s special glassblowing process is more than 1000 years old and includes glass made from silica, soda, lime and potassium, melted together.
-
- Here are more sconces – these are interior silver-plated sconces. Underneath are reproduction heating grates for both floor mount and wall mount. If a customer is looking for large quantities of an item that’s in short supply, Liz manufactures and stocks those too.
-
- Here’s a wall of nickel bathroom accessories – toothbrush holders and cup holders all from 1890 to 1920.
-
- There are rows and rows of hardware – it was so interesting to learn about everything in this store. It is split up into two sides – one with vintage and antique, the other with contemporary and reproduction pieces.
-
- If you’re ever in the area, please make a stop at Liz’s Antique Hardware. And go to the web site at to read Liz’s story and peruse all the products. She also has a book, “Decorative Hardware: Interior Designing with Knobs, Handles, Latches, Locks, Hinges, and Other Hardware” by Liz, and her manager, Terri Hartman. Enjoy.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
