Sunday 3 June 2012

Ed's Hardware

Have you ever bought a piece of antique furniture with a handle missing, and you can't find a matching replacement, no matter where you look?
Or been doing some refinishing and you need the right hinge, or doorknob, or key, and you don't know where to find exactly the right piece?
You need to spend some time browsing at Ed's Hardware.
Ed keeps his massive collection of vintage and antique hardware in an old barn located at the rear of his c.1880 James Lemon farmhouse. It's certainly a labour of love. He has everything sorted, packaged and catalogued. If you need it, and can't find it, Ed probably has it. And can tell you how to install it.


Ed can answer any questions about appropriate fittings for doors, windows, cabinets, and furniture, and gives valuable advice on caring for and refurbishing your antique hardware.

 
Shelf upon shelf of doorknobs, locks, door hardware, doorbells, screws, nuts, bolts, square head nails. It's a hands-on museum.


A few years ago, Ed was asked by a friend to help find a drawer pull for an old piece of furniture. He searched antique shows, garage sales and auctions looking for the right handle. After accumulating more than 2000 pieces, the search for the handle turned into a personal collection.

Ed thinks of the drawer pulls, screws, hinges, keys and door knobs as jewellery for the house, and the finishing touches to fine furniture.


Ed's customers range from the hobbyist to professional furniture refinishers, and to homeowners who want to maintain authenticity in their pieces of furniture.

Where does he find all these pieces? When I was there, at least two people were telling Ed that they had boxes of old hardware in their garages, and didn't know what to do with it. If you have a box of "junk", Ed will gladly take it off your hands!
 

And finally.... some good advice from Ed.

12 comments:

  1. LOL, LOL...Great advice from Ed....!
    What a Treasure Trove of Wonderful Goodies! How did you ever find Ed? This is my very favorite kind of shop/store/repository of special goods! I LOVE all the pictures, my dear. One really gets a sense of the passions and possibilities of Ed....!

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  2. Oh my, would I love to wander around that place!

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  3. What an amazing guy! I hope he does good business. What a selection he has - Dave

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  4. OMG! He is soooooo organized! I bet he loves what he does, based on what I see here. I hope he gets some good sales to make it all worthwhile...unless he does it just for the satisfaction. WOW. Good for him. I hope he knows who will "pass it on" for him when he can't do it any longer!

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  5. Great shop! I love how organized it is. Whenever I go into an antique shop or hardware shop, i feel completely overwhelmed if it's chaotic and won't even spend much time browsing. Now this is a shop I could spend some time in!

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  6. Wow. That is really, really cool. I would love to just walk around in there and absorb the atmosphere, so to speak. I really love old metal things, and he sure has a lot of them.

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  7. What a great place to visit. He sure has found a great way to make a business out of a hobby.

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  8. I really admire how his stuff is set up. What an interesting post!

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  9. OMG what a great place. I would loooove to go there and its so organized. A man who knows his stuff. Have a great day!

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  10. Somewhere I have a box of 1880's brass keys stamped with their patent dates on each one. If I find it I would like to give it to one who 'll cherish it.

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  11. Hi,Shammickite
    What a great shop you have found! I have to fly to that shop as I need his advice!
    I refinished an old desk my father in law had used in post-war. All of the handles were taken off, and other antique ones looking nice were going be replaced. The old desk missing handles still wait to be completed...!!
    Tomoko

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