simple plumbing question

[stonecreek]

Yes, I know there is no such thing. I have a steady drip in my shower that I am trying to fix. There are two handles, one hot and one cold. I want to replace the valve stems. Between the handles and the material the covers the wall, there are these two bell shaped things that, I assume, are there for aesthetic purposes to cover the holes in the marble or whatever it is. I put a large pipe wrench on one of them, turned counter-clockwise, broke it loose, but it just turns and turns. I assumed it was threaded onto something, but it just turns and turns. Any ideas on what is holding this thing in place. I can't tell you what make or model these things are, no markings or any thing.

thanks

[Bill]

I think these are called an escutcheon. I found a picture of several different types at the following link. Which does it look like?

Note that some are threaded on the inside while others have a nut which holds the escutcheon on. (called... you guessed it... "escutcheon nut".) The following link has a picture of a porcelain escutcheon with a brass nut. Some chrome escutcheons also have a nut which you would un-screw with a wrench. (It may all look like one piece if the fixture is old.) Can you see this nut on your "escutcheon"???

[stonecreek]

Bill:

It looks like picture in second url, however there is no nut on the front. The knurled knob that the faucet attaches to comes thru the front of this thing with no visible nut that I can see. It's almost as if the threads, if they exist, are on the back of this thing somehow.