The knocker from the door of Dr. Johnson's houseJohnson, Samuel, 1709-1784, associated name[circa 1740s-1780s]engIron door knocker, purportedly from a house associated with Samuel Johnson, circa 1740s-1780s. The knocker is mounted on a wooden panel, set into a clamshell box. At the foot of the panel is a brass plaque, engraved with information about the door knocker. Set in to the front cover is a miniature oil painting by an unidentified artist, possibly on ivory, depicting Johnson's house in Gough Square; the painting is inscribed: "Johnson's house, Johnson's Court, Fleet St after a contemporary drawing by J. Smith". Laid in to the box is a slip of paper with a typescript quote from Charles Lamb's essay "Valentine's Day", about the sound of a knock at a doorSamuel Johnson (1709-1784) was an English author and lexicographer. He lived in many locations throughout his life, including two houses in London: 17 Gough Square, where he lived from 1748-1749, and 8 Bolt Court, where he lived beginning in 1776.In English.Title from clamshell box spine.Place and date of creation supplied by cataloger.Binding: Green morocco clamshell box with blind tooling on the front and back boards; front board inlaid with red leather monogram: "SJ"; spine with raised bands, blind tooled ornaments, and gilt tooled lettering: "The knocker from the door of Dr. Johnson's house". Signed in gilt stamping on lower turn-in of back board: "Sangorski & Sutcliffe".