On my Fothergill I have a hybrid drivetrain. I shift the hub with a conventional SA trigger on the handlebar and shift the derailleur with a homebrew quadrant shifter on the top tube.
The old Sturmey Archer quadrant shifters are fun, and charming in their simplicity, but the ones I've used have been unreliable. I'm not sure whether that's because of the condition (they haven't been made in 75 years, and they tend to show their age) or the design. Probably both. I believe the pull is the same as for a modern hub but even so I can't recommend one. The new shifters are the best I've ever seen (I use one on the bar end).