Pendant pulls are teardrop-shaped, usually hollowed in back. Simple back plates are circular, more elaborate back plates are clover-shaped or diamond-shaped, some of them chased with decorations.

As Queen Anne Styling developed, grace and elegance entered American cabinet shops. Most noted for the cabriole leg, the Queen Anne period is also characterized by shell carvings and lovely curves. Bails on Queen Anne style hardware often followed curves found in the legs and moldings of the period. Simpler back plates were smooth and polished, more elaborate pieces were chased with engraved decorations. Earliest models used brass cotter pins to anchor pull against back plate. Later models replaced cotter pins with threaded posts and nuts.

One of the most common patterns, originals have cast brass back plates, bails and posts. Most reproductions today have cast bails, turned posts and back plates stamped from sheet brass. Edges are tiled to add depth to the pulls, just as antique pulls were. Chippendale period had three different substyles of hardware. The first substyle (see photo, left) is characterized by hardware called willow brasses. The second substyle was called Chinese Chippendele, since it was influenced by oriental design. The third substyle is called Rococo, influenced by the European Rococo design style. This type of Chippendale hardware was the most elaborate and expensive.

The first part of the Federal period is called Hepplewhite, named after George Hepplewhite. As America advanced, heavy equipment was built. The rope hammer could drop its weight and force a fine carved steel punch into its mating die.
As Hepplewhite furniture was designed, using fine inlays, reeded legs and curved surfaces, hardware changed to complement the new styles.
Hepplewhite pulls are stamped from thin brass. They show delicate designs and are works of art in their own right. American toolmakers celebrated their new techniques by producing incredible tooling and Hepplewhite pulls often feature eagles, fruit, wheat, flowers and other symbols of life in the New World.

Sheraton is the second part of the Federal period. Sheraton knobs are another example of the genius of metalworking craftsmen. Made from stampings, knob fronts and backs are crumped together. A stamped backplate often accompanied the knob. The stamped brass faces were typically decorated with carved rosettes found in the Sheraton furniture.

Queen Victoria influenced the Victorian Period and elaborately carved pieces flourished. The hardware designs matched the shapes of the furniture it decorated. Often stamped, sometimes cast, hole spacing became a bit more standardized so most Victorian hardware has a 3" boring.