This brass plate, engraved with Francis Drake's 1579 claim to California, became the state's greatest historical treasure when it was found and authenticated in the late 1930s.

Said historian Von der Porten: “There is still a plate of brass out there.” More to Read $25,000 reward offered for information on stolen bronze plaques honoring L.A. teachers ...

Finger plates are a two-century old trend that is trending again. House Digest's interior designer Erika Dale tells us more about this antique door decor.