Rosettes

Rosettes, or escutcheons, are made to cover the hole in a door and hold the doorknobs tight and securely against the door. They are essential to proper doorknob functionality. Smaller escutcheons were often used in earlier times (pre 1900) instead of a larger door face plate. They became popular again in the 1940s and 50s as a door plate alternative, but were used off and on throughout. They were also popular for smaller, less important doors as a money saving option.

Rosettes came in a wide variety of finishes and materials. Materials included porcelain, wood, cast iron, brass, bronze, steel, composition and bakelite. Most are fairly basic and round, but there are various shapes and highly decorative examples as well. Highly decorative escutcheons tend to date from the 1800s- early 1900s. Shaped examples tend to be later in the 20’s-50’s.

Vintage and antique rosettes are smaller and usually will not cover a modern door hole.