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Søe-Jensen & CO.

SINCE 1862

LET US HELP CHOOSE DOOR LEVERS IN A FEW MINUTES

Should you choose classic door levers, modern door levers, or something else altogether? Should they be in brass, chrome, or nickel?

What is a Long Sign, a Rosette and a Key Sign. What suits my needs, and how do I choose?

Find answers to the typical questions below. 

At Søe-Jensen & Co., we help you make the right choice. Visit us at Amaliegade 4 or contact us at 53747304.

MODERN OR CLASSIC STYLE?

If you have a certain style in your building/home, it is important for you to select the correct hardware for the style and culture of the building? 

Luxurious door levers from Søe-Jensen come in about 25 distinctive designs to provide even demanding customers with a satisfying solution. Create a cohesive design with door levers, terrace door levers, window levers, and exterior door levers in one single design.

If you have an older home, you may want to choose a door lever design from Søe-Jensen. Styles covered by Søe-Jensen include Baroque, Rococo, Empire, Neoclassicism, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco design executed in unvarnished brass alloy. We are happy to give advice about design and selecting the door levers that belong to the original era of your home. This gives your door the correct look, not to mention your entire home, which will have a better and more harmonious correct design.

Is the classic answer – then the door handle Creutz is a good choice. Creutz is available in several different sizes and you can also find it as an outdoor grip.

Another classic grip is the Briggs 112 , which in turn is also available as both indoor and outdoor grips. Despite its classic origins, Briggs also fits into the modern and stylish home.

And finally, there are special grips. Here, Søe-Jensen offers a wide range of styles, including Art Deco and Rococo. And we also have special handles for wet rooms.

Contact us, so we can help you find the door levers that fit your requirements.

Which material?

Back in the day, the choice was simple, as door levers were primarily made from bronze or brass or wood.

Today, Søe-Jensen offers most door levers in both brass, chrome, nickel, matte-burnished, or in stainless steel look. Add to this select door levers in wood with wrought iron hardware.

What is the right lever handle for you?

Select door levers the way you select other interior elements. If the style is already established by the rest of the interior, by the chosen colours, by decorative ceilings, stucco, floor panels or other architectural details, you may want to find a door lever that fits your home’s design.

The answer falls on brass.

In 1920, Søe-Jensen & Co. was the supplier of most of the door levers and handles in the then new Rigshospital. Brass was known already then as antibacterial, which during Covid times may provide an extra incentive to choose natural brass as your preferred choice of material. Søe-Jensen produces door levers with the finest of brass alloys, and the material is treated simply with a very thorough high-gloss polish. This means that your door levers will patinate beautifully with time. And if you decide a year from now, 5 years from now, or 30 years from now that it should look like it did when first installed, it is simply a matter of polishing it by hand using a polishing cream, then you will be back to having a completely new and shiny material.

A great many manufacturers opt for varnishing their door levers, because it gives the customer a door lever that “needs no maintenance”. Unfortunately, this is an old wives’ tale, as the varnish will crack with use over time. This gives it an unpleasant look, where the varnish looks obviously ruined, and there is no way to polish it away. 

HOW TO SELECT COMBINATIONS

Once you have chosen the door handle, decide on the “frame”. Simply put, the frame has the small round hole that connects the door handle on both sides of the door. Simply put, the frame has the small round hole that connects the door handle on both sides of the door.

There are two options; 1) you see the escutcheon plate in the photo on the right, and 2) you see the rosette in the photo below. 

Both the escutcheon plate and the rosette solve the problem, and it is simply a question as to what you find more suitable.

The rosette solution is fine for most situations and are easily adapted to a classic home. The escutcheon plate is more sophisticated, and is usually associated with a given era, so it is worth seeking advice before selecting an escutcheon plate. Both escutcheon plates and rosettes come in many varieties and many colours (metal alloys).

There are usually many obvious choices, however, as several of our door levers are designed to match a given escutcheon plate or a given rosette. 

If you are unsure about your choice, feel free to call us, and we will guide you through it.

But what about the key? You will find it below.

HOW TO SELECT ROSETTES AND KEY PLATES

The rosette is the unit that connects the door handles on both sides of the door. On the image to the left, the two top ones are rosettes.

The key plate has a cut-out that must fit the lock that is in the door. You see the key plate in the bottom two photos. The key plate has a cut-out to fit the lock in the door. These days it is determined by the shape of the lock, whereas many years ago it was the shape of the key (example shown on 2 escutcheon plates in the photo above)

For new mortice locks, you attach both rosettes and key plates with “through-going screws”, mounting them together with long through-going screws. New mortice locks simply have holes for the purpose (you’ll recognise them by their 2 holes as shown to the far left).

Those holes don’t exist in old mortice locks, which is why both rosettes and key plates are installed with three small woodscrews in the door (you’ll recognise them by their 3 holes as shown in the photo on the right) 

Rosettes come with a diameter of 52 mm for interior use or 58 mm for exterior use.

You are always welcome to ask us.

The lock determines the key plate

Separate Rosette and Key Plate

As depicted in the photo above, the rosette is on top and the key plate on the bottom. Once you have selected your rosette, you simply select the same model of key plate, so they match.

Next select the features you need.

Key plates offer 3 different combinations. You choose yours after selecting the model:

  1. Nothing, meaning no opening. This is the appropriate choice if there is no lock, if you want to hide a lock, or if you simply think it’s the most suitable.
  2. With lock. Once you have chosen your model, you select the lock type. If in doubt, send us a photo.
  3. With thumb turn (e.g., for a bathroom). If choosing a thumb turn, there is typically a thumb turn on one side and a regular lock on the opposite side, or alternatively a little pin, so you can get the door open in an emergency.


Escutcheon plate with built-in key plate

On escutcheon plates, the “rosette” is always built in (the tiny round hole), while you can choose any “key plate”. On the photo to the right, you see an escutcheon plate without a built-in “key plate”.

If you want your escutcheon plate to have an built-in “key plate”, you need to know which lock is in the door, so they will match. You can find a few more details below, and of course you can always ask us.

ESCUTCHEON PLATE WITH BUILT-IN KEY PLATE

It may seem complicated but is actually quite simple.

  1. Choose your escutcheon plate model.
  2. Determine lock type (or thumb turn) for your model.
  3. Measure the distance between the upper hole and the hole for the key/lock. It is typically standard, but this will prevent errors.

On the left you see the dimensions of the Eskan escutcheon plate.

The relevant measurement is marked with an “A” and measured in millimetres. You can see four variants in the illustration on the right.

If you need to hide old holes, the height and width of the escutcheon plate may be relevant as well. If you are in doubt, all you need to do is contact us.

What are you looking for?

Search through our assortment below