i guess i kinda know what this is, but if anyone can add anything please do. also i just had to show it. it's 3 1/4" (unfortunately the tip broke)
Attachment 5210 Attachment 5209
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i guess i kinda know what this is, but if anyone can add anything please do. also i just had to show it. it's 3 1/4" (unfortunately the tip broke)
Attachment 5210 Attachment 5209
hello icemandan,
it is a key from the 14th to 16th century,
used for padlocks or chest-locks.
in germany it is a very common key from this time.
from where do get your keys?
gerry
hello gerry, and thank you. actually my wife got these from her late great uncles estate. these are less then 10% of the total collection from what i heard as all the keys were divided up and given to family members. the funny thing is i started collecting skeleton keys when i was a kid, then i got interested in girls and have no idea what happend to them. i collect japanese tin toys, crank phonographs and records. so i'm not sure if i will getting back into key collecting. although i have been thinking about parting with my phonos and records as they take up alot of room. (that would make the wife happy) anyway thanks again.
regards dan
hello dan,
i am collecting keys since a long time,
now i got more than 900, but it is
very easy to display it on a wall.
i have pinned them all on 200cm to 250cm.
i am collecting mostly german and european
keys, all older than 200 years and handmade.
if you want to have a look, please give me an
emailadress.
i have never heard about japanese tin toys, i just
know the german ones, coming from nuremberg,
and in a little town close by they have some crank
phonographs in a museum.
regards
gerry
Gerry, could I convince you to post pictures of a some your nicer kays? I have only recently become interested in pre- 1800 locks and am finding some to be truly works of art in metal. Doug
hi doug,
which century you want to see, especially?
Any century really but ones that show the greatest skill in making. Thanks Doug
Here are some examples of similar types of hand made keys. They are hammered and then brazed with brass/copper mix. Quality ranges form almost crude to very sophisticated. Your keys look as if they were left in the locks and rusted? Also some of these keys come in larger sizes and were used for front door locks. I know because I have the key and lock from some European doors which they were taken off from.
Brain ..................................
I really don't think this key is that old. From the bow it looks German but more like 1600's and maybe eary 1700's. The rolled shank seems to place it in that time period. Just a thought.
the short keys are older than the longer ones
because the early locks were mounted outside
the chests
(from roman to ca.1500) please see the picture
later they mount it inside that needs longer keys
(ca.1500-1800)