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Home / Exterior / Accessories and Hardware

Rare Howard Pierce bird midcentury front door escutcheon

Kate - March 12, 2015, Updated: July 5, 2021

Howard Pierce metal door plateUpdate Spet. 2016: I saw another one of these on ebay — and it’s Howard Pierce. The ebay listing also had a doorbell cover!

Vintage front door escutcheon designs are pretty rare to begin with — but have you ever seen one like this before?  Pam spotted this lovely woddity: a midcentury door plate escutcheon with an Evelyn Ackerman-esque (?) bird design on ebay. We have never seen this design before. It may be a rare bird indeed — not just because of its unusual and attractive design, but also because of its massive size — a full 16 inches tall! 

howard pierce The door plate features two lovely abstracted birds sitting on an angular tree. Just look at the fabulous detail on this piece, it’s a true work of art for your front door.

From the eBay listing description:

Mid century door escutcheon plate in the manner of Evelyn Ackerman. Not sure of maker/manufacturer though. Very cool and unique item.

howard pierceIt looks like there is a maker mark carved into the back side of the escutcheon, what do you think it says? Pierce? Piere? Pierre? I can’t quite make it out. Does anyone recognize it?

Update Sept. 2014 — Howard Pierce!

howard pierce door escutcheon back plate howard pierce door platePersonally, I’d love to have this piece, for my front door or to use as a piece of wall decor inside. It is fabulous!

Mega thanks to eBay seller levialaska for allowing us to feature her photos of this unique piece.

  • And…. want more info on where to buy these new? See our story, 3 places to buy midcentury modern style door plates – including a DIY idea

mid century door plates escutcheons

CATEGORIES:
Accessories and Hardware Exterior favorite mid century designers The Museum of Mid Century Material Culture woddities: wonderful oddities

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12 comments

Comments

  1. Holland VanDieren says

    January 9, 2017 at 3:58 pm

    I think it was cast by Pier Foundry in Minnesota. Howard Pierce was a ceramics manufacturer.

    • Dave says

      February 18, 2019 at 3:42 pm

      It’s definitely Howard Pierce, as he displays it in the “metal work” section on his own website.

      http://howardpierceceramics.com/Howard_Pierce_Ceramics/pictures-plus/metal-work.html

  2. Karen says

    March 15, 2015 at 9:06 pm

    It immediately reminded me of the Franciscan pattern Bird ‘n Hand from the late 60s. Those are the dishes I grew up with. What a lovely find.

  3. Rebecca prichard says

    March 14, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    It looks Celtic to me.

  4. Scott says

    March 12, 2015 at 11:21 pm

    Love this. The mid-century home just can’t have enough birds. Brass, glass, ceramic, wood, bring it! 🙂

    The width of this would work on a narrower offsets you seem to have to accept on even the most authentically retro-styled new doors too.

  5. Passerby says

    March 12, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    I’ve seen this one in the wild! It was on a side door of a mid-sixties California ranch that had been gutted and flipped. The flippers had been too lazy to bother removing it. The house made me sad, but I loved the door! The matching knob was round, similar to the ones that Pam posted in the pic above.

    • pam kueber says

      March 12, 2015 at 1:19 pm

      woot!

  6. Roundhouse Sarah says

    March 12, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    Put a bird on it! ( sorry I just love that Portlandia sketch)
    But truly, everything is better with a bird on it, especially this escutcheon.

  7. Robin, NV says

    March 12, 2015 at 10:28 am

    Ooh I love this! My local bulk fabric store has some drapery fabric that would work with this to make a South American themed living room – it has stylized llamas and birds on it. Every time I see it, I wish I had a use for it.

    Also just realized that the “3 sources for midcentury door escutcheons” image has an escutcheon that looks just like mine – bottom of the middle column (square brass). When I replaced my front door, I insisted that my contractor save the old escutcheon and install it on the new door. It’s simple but I love it.

  8. midmichigan says

    March 12, 2015 at 9:24 am

    It’s cool for sure. It might have been produced by this foundry but I’m not sure. They’ve been around a long time.

    http://www.pierfoundry.com/About_Us/History.aspx

  9. Mary Elizabeth says

    March 12, 2015 at 8:35 am

    Beautiful! It looks like it would go nicely on the door of a prairie style home, any early to mid 20th century bungalow, or a Southwestern rancho. I think it would look cool on one of a set of double doors, as an asymmetrical arrangement.

    • pam kueber says

      March 12, 2015 at 9:32 am

      Oh, I think it is 100% midcentury modern!

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