Why Important
With a heritage building, first impressions matter. Even small signs of inappropriate style or material stands out, and can suggest that unsympathetic changes have made which can devalue the whole property.
What to look for
Originally, it is said, only doctors had door knockers; other houses and flats had bells. They were introduced later as decorative elements in brass or, on basement doors (for servant’s usage), in iron.
When to look
When the initial detailed survey is undertaken. Collect photographs of the existing situation.
Undertake annual inspections or when the building has a change of use/occupancy.
How to fix
Take photograph of the door knocker, and research to see if it is appropriate to the building. Very carefully remove (likely to be using wood screws, so can be very fragile), and then contact Architectural Salvage companies to see if they can provide a replacement or a professional to repair the heritage item.
Avoiding creating problems
The temptation to add new knockers should be resisted, particularly on doors to flats from the internal common stair, where they are inappropriate and noisy for adjoining occupants.
Historical background
Builders & Architect Catalogues were often used to select finishes and styles for the original building. The Wirral Archives may be good places to research what was available at the time.