Bronze brass door handle on long backplate Mathilde - French made

The Mathilde in bronze finish

An Art Deco lever handle of 109 mm, here in a single finish: bronze, a deep brown that develops a patina with use and that the hand polishes wherever it rests. This is the finish that best suits dark woods and old doors that were never repainted.

It is mounted on a long backplate measuring 250 × 40 mm, 2 mm thick, with the French standard 70 mm centres — the distance between the lever axis and the lock hole, as used on locks fitted in France.

Choosing the plate drilling

This is the only decision to make before ordering, and it depends on the lock already fitted to your door. Look at what is beneath your current handle:

• No keyhole — the plate is solid. For a door that does not lock: wardrobe, child's bedroom, communicating door.
• L-key — the traditional keyhole-shaped drilling, for a bit key. This is the drilling used on old French interior doors.
• Euro cylinder — a round hole for a cylinder. Found on more recent locks.
• Bathroom turn — the small button turned from the inside, with an emergency release on the outside. This is the drilling for bathrooms and WCs.

Not sure? Send us a photo of your door with the handle in place: we will tell you which drilling to order.

Specifications

• Lever handle model: Mathilde, Art Deco
• Lever handle length: 109 mm
• Finish: bronze
• Backplate: 250 × 40 × 2 mm
• Centres: 70 mm (French standard)
• Plate drilling: no keyhole, L-key, euro cylinder or bathroom turn
• Material: solid brass
• Spindle supplied: 7 mm
• Return spring: none — compatible with lift-to-lock latches
• Contents: a pair of lever handles on backplate, a 7 mm spindle, fixings
• Origin: France, Vimeu (Picardy)
• Warranty: 2 years

Fixing

• Supplied as standard with a wood screw fixing.
• A through-bolt fixing is available: please let us know by e-mail before placing your order.
• The drilling is not the same in each case: the choice is made at the manufacturing stage, not afterwards.

The spindle

The spindle is the metal rod that passes through the lock and transmits the movement of the lever handle. Its cross-section varies by country and by lock type.

• 7 mm — supplied as standard. This is the French standard for mortice locks, also known as sash locks.
• 6 mm — the standard for rim locks. If your lock body is screwed to the face of the door, this is very likely the one you need. Let us know when ordering: we will include the 6 mm spindle instead, at no extra charge.
• 8 mm — Switzerland, Belgium and the rest of the European Union. Please let us know when ordering. We also check your delivery address: if it is outside France, we will make the adjustment without you having to think about it.

Installation

Each lever handle is fitted to its backplate; both backplates are screwed on either side of the door, and the spindle passes through the lock body to connect them. No new drilling is required if the previous handle was also on a backplate: the long plate covers the marks from the previous fitting.

These lever handles have no return spring: it is the lock that returns the lever to the horizontal position. They are therefore suitable as standard for lift-to-lock latches, the kind you lift to lock. Screws and Allen key are included.

Solid brass, cast in Picardy

Gravity cast in a sand mould, machined, silver-brazed rather than glued, then hand-polished in the Vimeu, the historic heartland of the French hardware industry. The brass is solid: the weight is felt from the very first hold, and that is what sets a cast piece apart from a lightweight alloy shell.

See also our full range of brass door handles.