You may not be familiar with Cremone Bolts, also known as cremone locks, but they are a common form of antique hardware used on windows and doors. If you have an older home, apartment building, office building, or public building, you’ll want to become familiar with Cremone Bolts to preserve the old look of your period building.
What happens behind the scenes
Cremone bolts are a decorative type of locking mechanism used to close an outward opening window or even French doors. The cremone lock is the type of lock that has a handle or knob that is turned to unlock the window or open the door. There is an outer cover on the cremone lock to hide its operation from view. Inside the cremone set lid is a gear system that slides up and down when the knob is turned. Attached to the top and bottom of the gears are thin round bars. The bars in the cremone bolt set are the ones used to close the window or fasten the door, and the bars go inside the door or window frame at the bottom.
Uses and styles for the cremone lock
Cremone locks are widely used in historic homes and buildings as a period means of closing windows. Medicine cabinets also often use cremone locks. A heavy-duty cremone kit offers the perfect means of keeping French doors closed. Looking around your old building, you can see that the cremone lock is used elsewhere as well. This is why finding replacement cremone locks is so important, to keep your home looking appropriate for its time and style.
Some of the locks are finished in silver or gold tones. Brass is also a popular look. There are some very elaborate antique brass bolt sets available that have floral and swirl carving designs, which will finish your windows and cabinet doors so beautifully that you won’t want to use window coverings to hide them from view.
The knobs also vary in appearance. They can be oval, a common shape used. Some of the knobs are designed with a center pivot point like the oval ones, but then longer, extended pieces are added, making the knob larger and therefore easier to turn.
Because there are so many of these beautiful vintage studs available, it’s best to visit an architectural salvage website to see them for yourself if you need to mix some up in your home, or add class with a new set for your windows. cabinets or doors.