People
often ask if there is a certain type of hinge
when they are visiting our antique barns. Sometimes
they can be accommodated, but often not, as antique
hinges in a good state of repair can be expensive,
and a valuable needed part in the arsenal of the
antique dealer.
Hinges can be divided into three categories: hand
wrought, cast and machine-rolled plate.
Hand wrought, or blacksmith-made hinges, are principally
a product of the 18th Century. Any form of construction
requiring strength, whether for furniture or the
building trades, would have used hand wrought
hinges. The H-hinge and H and L-hinges were used
on cupboards from 1700 to approximately 1825.
In the 18th Century this hinge was usually attached
with nails. In the 19th Century screws were more
likely. Almost all hand wrought 18th Century hinges
were intended to be used with nails. Consequently,
the pilot holes were not countersunk for screw
heads. That is a 19th Century characteristic.
The strap hinge was used for chests and barn doors,
and was popular in both the 18th and 19th Century.
In
the 19th Century, strap hinges continued to be
hand wrought, but they were also available in
machine-rolled plate hinges. The butterfly is
one of the most classic of hand wrought hinges
and it was used on tables and doors from approximately
1700 to 1750.
The snipe hinge was used in chest construction
from about 1700 to 1800. This hinge was no more
than two cotter pins interlocked. It was not a
durable hinge and most surviving examples are
in sad condition.
The rectangular hinge was in use throughout the
18th Century. The hinge is easily recognizable
because it involved bending the iron around the
pin. This caused a double sheet on each side of
the pin. This was an extremely durable hinge.
It is found on desks, and drop-leaf tables.
Even a novice should have no difficulty in identifying
a hand wrought hinge. Hand-wrought hinges are
uneven; they thin out toward the edges due to
hammering.
Marks
from the blacksmith's hammer will be apparent
throughout, but they will be subtle.
Brass hinges were also available throughout the
18th Century, but their shapes were restricted
to rectangles. Brass hinges could be either blacksmith
wrought or cast. The majority of hinges were cast-brass,
and were thick, and no matter how well polished,
have some surface irregularities from the casting
process.
Cast brass hinges were used for furniture throughout
the 18th Century and 19th Century. Hinges cast
in two separate pieces and then joined with a
separate pin are the old variety. Those cast in
one piece with sealed ends and an internal pin
are a 19th Century innovation.
The last type of hinge to be considered is the
rolled plate hinge (which is essentially the modern
hinge). These hinges are less attractive and romantic
than their hand-forged or cast cousins. Nevertheless,
they are considered by most to be superior hinges.
This type of hinge was in common use by 1860.
It is probable that these hinges did not come
to any widespread manufacture until about 1835,
when the Industrial Revolution was starting.
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