The standard backset distances are 2 3/8 and 2 3/4. and have been since long before 1989. That is the distance from the center of the hole to the door edge. Exterior door hardware is almost always 2 3/4 setback. There is however no standard distance between the hole for the latch and the hole for the deadbolt. I have some that are 3 5/8 and 5 1/2 both from emtek. other manufacturers will be different. The hole for the lock and latch are generaly 2 1/8" dia. Sometimes a deadbolt hole is as small as 1 3/4" Small holes can always be drilled larger. If you can't find a handle set that matches the center distance of your drilled holes, There are many sets available that have the deadbolt completely separate from the handle, and can be installed at any distance. A lot of times the phrase "they don't make that any more" means "Home Depot doesn't sell that type and I'm to lazy/stupid to look on the internet". If you don't want your house to look exactly like your neighbor's, you have to shop on the web.

This dilemma solved itself -- yesterday the contractor purchased polished brass replacement hardware which looks fine. One less thing I have to choose. Now on to paint colors...

You can split finishes with Rejuvenation door hardware, and could probably do the same with hardware from House of Antique Hardware or other reproduction hardware vendors. We did that with a few of our doors, and we have ORB knobs on our main floor (where the woodwork is stained) and white porcelain knobs upstairs and in our basement (where the trim is painted white).

Those items do not have to match, but they should correspond. And in this case I would not put ORB with reddish brown. If you're going to do two different metals that close to each other, they need to be different enough as to not look like you tried to match and failed. Either use the same metal or something strikingly different.