Memories of Phill
The owner of the present lot recalls how it came to be:
My late husband and I commissioned Phill, a close friend and neighbor of ours, in 1994 to design and make us an entry door that we would install in the doorway of our house that faced the towpath of the New Hope canal. We had just renovated our house and thought that this would be a perfect time to add some artistry to the building.
Phill was reluctant at first, as he was hesitant about making commissioned items for friends. He finally said he would make us a door, as long as we didn't ask the price, and as long as we wouldn't try to sneak into his workshop to check out the door before completion. We agreed to his terms. But Phill still didn't trust that, so every evening he would wheel the door from his workshop to his house and store it inside so no one could peek!
When the door was completed, Phill hosted an artist's "Door Opening" to unveil it. We invited friends from the local area to his workshop for an exciting evening of wine and hors d'oeuvres. After that, Phill had to figure out how to best transport the door from his workshop to our home. Since he also lived along the towpath, he carefully strapped the door to his cart, and he and my husband wheeled the door about ten houses north, along the canal towpath, to our back deck.

The door knocker was from one of the many European trips Phill had taken and the smaller lions on the inside of the door were actually brass towel hooks that he'd found. He cut off the hooks and made them into a design for the interior as a continuation of the lion theme.
He was a very creative spirit, and a good friend.