European Door Knobs!

 

On a trip through the villages of southern Europe this week, I noticed these wonderfully creative door knobs 

on the village homes.

 

European Gladstone Doctor's Bag

In Europe, this particular style of bag is very popular with collectors. Created in the mid-1800s, this bag was designed to open wide with hinges that stay open for quick easy access, such as that needed by doctors working out on the road.

 Called a Gladstone Doctor's Bag, it is named after the man who was British Prime Minister at the time because, in a way that seems curious today, the creator was a big fan of the PM! 

The style has endured, been duplicated, and altered.  I once found an original Gladstone bag and was immediately asked to sell it to a neighbor whose daughter, Fanny, had just been accepted into French medical school. That bag now has a fine home.