Faucet Handles & Hardware

Are you in need of china trim pieces such as handles and escutcheons (the bell shaped thingies that cover the hole in the wall)? We might have what you need. We get asked almost everyday if we have replacement handles for bathtubs, showers, and sinks. The handles that people are usually looking for are the white china cross handles that say Hot and Cold, and sometimes Waste, Drain, Needle, Spray, etc. Most of the handles made by the great number of plumbing companies all look somewhat similar in design, but all are different from each other in key ways, normally in how they attach to the faucet stem. The end of the stem that has a square, or splined circle, or pointed star shape is called the broach. The broach end of the stem fits into a corresponding shape on the backside or hub of the handle. Usually a tiny set screw holds the handle onto the stem. The most common of all handles is the one made by Standard Mfg Co. These handles were hollow, with a brass hub (nickel plated) bonded into the back side, and another cast brass piece (nickel plated) with "wings" that fit into the keyway hole on the top side. There was a plated round brass bezel holding a small white china index button with H or C or Drain imprinted on it screwed onto the top piece. Through the middle of the two brass pieces was a machine screw that when tightened held the handle onto the stem. This is the handle we get asked for the most. After that is Speakman, and sometimes Crane. Each of these makers also made several varieties of handles, some of which we have, and some we have never seen. And then there were a myriad of other makers that also of course made handles, some we have, and many we do not. We try hard to keep some of the more commonly requested handles in stock just as much as we possibly can, but they are becoming very difficult to find. We sell some handles to someone every week. Please email with your needs and if you can send an image of a sample piece, that will make it easier to match. If you care to send a damaged piece through the mail, that is even easier. Our address is on the bottom of our home page. Below we show sets of Crane handles, Standard handles, Speakman handles, Mott, Republic and Wolff. We also have some associated pieces of trim like faucet escutcheons, shower mixer valve escutcheons, hard to find Crane sink drain pieces such as stoppers and fork lifters. Inquire if you need.

**NOTE** I am just building this page, and I find that some of my photos are blurry. Sorry about that. I will replace with better in short order. Also, I will over time add more useful info about these handles as well as the other trim pieces that go along with like the escutcheon cones. If you need the cones, ask about them. I have some, just not shown here yet.

These are the most common china cross handles in use, by Standard Mfg Co. These are hollow through the middle with plated brass hub bonded into the back side, with a 3/8" or 7/16" 22 point splined round broach hole to attach to stem. The top part is a winged brass casting that holds the screw, round with 2 flat sides or hexagon shaped bezel, and a small white china index button with H or C or Drain imprinted.

These handles tend to break over time, especially if the handle becomes loose from the back hub. That part must be permanently bonded into the handle with Plaster of Paris or some other bonding filler, or the handle will fracture. These handles are normally 3 3/8" across tip to tip, but there were some made a little smaller and a little larger. I have a few of these available most of the time.

These are what I call Standard Special handles. These were used on showers and bathtubs and tend to be larger and heavier than the more common handles above. The large version of these are 3 3/4" across and the smallers ones were 3 1/4" across. They can have 3/8" square broach hole or 1/4" square broach hole, and there were some made with a round splined hole.

These handles have the cap unit all of one piece with a female threaded hole in the underside of the top piece. The valve stem has a machine stud end that pokes through the handle, and the hexagon cap is screwed onto the stud, to secure the handle. I usually have a few of these very rare handles in different sizes.

Here is another unique Standard handle that is often seen on bathtub standing waste hardware. These are very large, about 4 1/8" across, and also with the one piece heagon cap piece.

The brass center part of this handle fits down over a 3/8" square stem broach, again with a machine screw stud on the end of it. The hex cap screws down onto the stud to hold the handle. Sometimes I have also seen this handle with a cap that is round with 2 flat sides. I have a few of these handles.

This is the super rare Crane china cross handle that has H or C or Waste imprinted, with the Crane name imprinted above it in light grey. These are 3 1/4" across with 3/8" square broach in back.

I get asked for these often and usually have a few sets on hand. There was also a smaller version of this handle, about 2 3/4" across. They were used on shut off valves underneath the sink. Small or large size, I do not seem to be able to find enough of these to provide to all the people that ask for them.