Q: I remember seeing a white dresser with clear glass knobs on one of your clothes-keeping shows -- the one about drawer organizers. I'm refinishing an old washstand I found that has green glass knobs. I've been told they're unusual, but can you tell me why?
 -- Jacqueline Hayhurst, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Actually, they're fairly common. Glass pull knobs were first developed in the late 1800s and were produced until the 1930s. You can find them at flea markets or at antique-hardware stores, or you can buy reproductions, which are available in many colors as well as clear glass, green glass, and milk glass, and range in price from about $10 for the small knobs to $21 for the larger ones.

If you can, you should remove the knobs before refinishing your washstand. If this isn't possible, cover them with painter's tape, which won't leave a sticky residue after you've removed it.