Duck beak brass door lever handle set on round rosette

The essentials

Duck-bill lever handle set, small format, in solid brass, made in France: the lever handle is supplied with its round escutcheon of 45 mm. Sold individually, with its square spindle, fixings and hex key. Mounted on its escutcheon, it is ready for a mortise lock; it can also be fitted to a rim lock.

• Material: solid brass, a full and heavy piece
• Length: 73 mm
• Escutcheon included: round, 45 mm diameter
• Square spindle included: a 7 mm rod, the French standard for mortise locks. Let us know if you have a rim lock and we will supply the 6 mm, at no extra charge
• Door thickness: up to 44 mm
• No return spring: the return action comes from the lock, which makes this lever handle compatible as standard with lift-lever locks
• Finishes: from bright gold to anthracite
• Pack contents: one lever handle and its round escutcheon, for one side of the door. Two are required to fit the door completely
• Manufacturer's guarantee: 2 years

The duck-bill lever handle takes its name from its profile: a straight lever that curves downward as it tapers, like a beak. At 73 mm, it is a small format — the hand wraps around it entirely, and the lever remains unobtrusive on a narrow door or a cupboard leaf. Its round escutcheon of 45 mm diameter keeps the same measured proportions: it covers the drilling without broadening the silhouette.

Is your door more than 44 mm thick? Write to us before ordering and we will check the feasibility.

Rim lock or mortise lock?

This determines your order. Look at your door: is the lock case fitted onto the wood, clearly visible, or invisible because it is mortised into the thickness?

The rim lock

The metal case is screwed onto the face of the door. It is visible and forms part of the décor. This is the traditional fitting for older homes, and the original intended use of this lever handle.

On that side, it mounts directly onto the case, which already houses the entire mechanism: nothing else is needed. On the other side, it passes through bare wood. You may add an escutcheon there — not for functional purposes, but to conceal the marks of a previous drilling.

In that case, request the 6 mm square spindle: it is the standard for rim locks, and is not supplied by default. A brief note in the order comments is all that is needed.

The full range of compatible models can be found in our handles for rim locks.

The mortise lock, also known as a "sash lock"

The case is mortised into the thickness of the door leaf: only the faceplate is visible, on the edge of the door. This is the standard fitting for modern doors, and the 7 mm square spindle supplied as standard is suited to it.

On each face, three elements are required: the lever handle, its escutcheon, and a function escutcheon chosen to match the lock — cylinder key, room key, or privacy turn for a bathroom or toilet. Here, the lever handle and its escutcheon are already combined: only the function escutcheon remains to be chosen.

The escutcheons that complement this model are listed higher up on this page, in the associated accessories. Not all escutcheons in the catalogue are compatible with DCG pieces: those shown here have been selected to work together.

Unsure about your lock? Send us a photo of the door and we will tell you what to order.

Choosing the finish

One thing to know before choosing a gold finish: bare brass tarnishes in the air within a few months. Our gold finishes are lacquered, which prevents this change — the lever handle retains the lustre it had on the day of installation.

• The golds — Polished Gold, also known as bright gold: the crisp brilliance of brass, protected by its lacquer. Matt Gold, or satin gold: the same warmth, without the sheen.
• The light greys — Polished Chrome, the most reflective. Satin Nickel, also known as brushed nickel, and Lacquered Nickel: more subdued, and they do not show fingerprints.
• The deep tones — Bronze, a darkened brass with warm highlights. Copper, more rose-tinted. Brushed Chrome, aged grey. Anthracite, also known as matt slate, almost black, for a striking contrast against a light-coloured door.

The difference between satin nickel and brushed chrome is hard to see in photographs. If you are hesitating between two similar shades, write to us.

Where it comes from

DCG manufactures in the Vimeu, in Picardy, the historic heartland of French hardware — a family business since 1989.

Each piece is sand-cast, silver-brazed, then hand-polished.