Donation of Beautiful Hardware from the Historic David M. Dunne House

The Architectural Heritage Center has been fortunate to receive hardware from the historic 1887 David M. Dunne House that once stood at the fashionable NE corner of NW 17th and Couch Streets. The Dunne home was demolished in 1961 to make way for the Cathedral School. Jim Morton, great-grandson of David M. Dunne has generously donated the pieces to the AHC Hardware Collection this month.

The Dunne House in 1892

David M. Dunne was a partner in the Portland firm Kelly & Dunne Company that sold lubricating and illuminating oils, paints, varnishes and glass. Dunne also served as a Multnomah County Commissioner.

David M. Dunne

The pieces consist of a Persian style bronze door plate, a Neo-Grec style bronze pocket door pull, a bronze Eastlake style door strike plate with a butterfly motif, a Neo-Grec copper flashed iron drawer pull and an iron window sash pull. The condition of the pieces is excellent and they still retain their original finishes!

In the mid 1800’s the United States, architecturally, was going through a Greek Revival period. In 1874 Charles Locke Eastlake published his very influential book “Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery and Other Details“. The book featured geometric patterns with Greek and Japanese influences.

We at the AHC and with help from the Antique Hardware Department at Hippo Hardware, suspect the pieces were manufactured by the Russell and Erwin Hardware Mfg Company of New Britain, Connecticut. This pictured example below is very closely related to the door plate escutcheon. If any of our members are able to provide a definitive answer to the manufacturer of the pieces please contact Norm Gholston, Collections Manager!

Thank you, Jim for passing these fine examples of American Hardware to us!