Trenton historic door #2
Seth Hinshaw, 4/13/2019
Here is another historic door I photographed in Trenton recently. Although I didn't see a date for the building, I would estimate the door to date to circa 1875. Some similar front doors appear in my book A Field Guide to American Residential Doors.
This is a bifold door opening below a split transom. The door leaves feature circular wood ornaments on the lock rail. All four panels feature pressed wood detailing. On occasion it is difficult to discern between a paired or two-leaf door and a bifold door, but this door has several telltale signs. The modern lever operating the door is located beside a strike stile (on the right), and the hinges are visible on the opposite stile. The beaded piece of millwork between the leaves is called an astragal, and it features a larger base that protects the lower corners of the door. With this particular door, operating the handle causes the leaf on the right to open inwards, but the left leaf opens outward. If the door were a two-leaf double door, the leaves would be operated by a knob or level near the center.
Earlier blog posts
8/28/2020 Chicago Millwork Supply Company catalog of 1931
10/6/2019 History of Hinkle & Company (1833-1870)
9/17/2019 History of Mulliner Box & Planing Company
6/3/2019 J.R. Quigley Plant, Gloucester City, New Jersey
4/23/2019 Cleveland Cottage Door
4/13/2019 Trenton historic door #2
4/10/2019 Trenton Doors #1
3/6/2019 Pressed Wood Door Knobs
2/23/2019 Gettysburg Doorscape, Part 4
2/18/2019 Gettysburg Doorscape, Part 3
2/12/2019 Gettysburg Doorscape, Part 2
2/9/2019 An Introduction to the Gettysburg Doorscape
1/22/2019 The Blake Latch
1/19/2019 Rare Four-Panel Door of 1890s
1/5/2019 Cast Iron Rim Locks
12/28/2018 Inaugural Blog Post