Wentz latch

Wentz handle

Plain or fancy, large or small – endless examples of hand forged hardware can found on the early barns.

Handles could serve as pulls or actually latch the door in the closed position.  Again the historic period, skill of the local smith and interests of the farm owner dictated the style of handles used on the barn.  Some of the finest examples of early American door pulls were found on the barn’s “parlor door”. That formal entry - usually covered with a pent roof - where daily the farmer entered the ground floor milking parlor from his adjacent home.