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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    113
    Country: United States

    Default Large old brass "key", possible radiator valve handle?

    Weighing in at 72 grams, this old brass "key" is 3.6 inches in length. The bow is 0.200" thick. The shank is tapered, measuring 0.563" in diameter at the thick end and 0.432" at the narrow end. There is a rectangular hole that transects the shank. The hole is approx. 0.363" by 0.125" It strikes me as some kind of valve handle. Anyone recognize it?

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Devon UK
    Posts
    3,117
    Country: UK

    Default

    I think it is a specialist tool of some kind-wild guess at wire tensioner...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    113
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Gordon View Post
    I think it is a specialist tool of some kind-wild guess at wire tensioner...
    Tom

    I took your suggestion and ran with it. After sharing your suggestion, one friend asked if it might be a tuning peg from a large stringed instrument like an orchestral double bass. I thought it was a bit heavy for such a use but I could be wrong. Here's what Google images shows when queried for "antique brass double bass tuning peg":

    https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...ass+tuning+peg

    Not exactly a match but you can see why I thought possibly...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    142
    Country: Germany

    Default

    hello,

    maybe it was used in a tap???
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails index.jpg  

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    293
    Country: UK

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gerry View Post
    hello,

    maybe it was used in a tap???
    I agree - and I would advance the theory it's from an antique beer tap. I saw some of a similar style in a pub this week.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    184
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Seen very similar at a beer festival last year. Dispensing tap in the small barrels of specialist beers. Had to drink a couple of glasses just to watch the tap being turned.........no honest !

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Tavistock, Devon UK
    Posts
    562
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Safeone View Post
    Seen very similar at a beer festival last year. Dispensing tap in the small barrels of specialist beers. Had to drink a couple of glasses just to watch the tap being turned.........no honest !
    Always best to double check and also get a second opinion

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,755
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Welcome Safeone- Beer & Safes.... glad to meet someone else with same priorities as me

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    113
    Country: United States

    Default

    A beer tap? Really? I was skeptical but if so, I should be able to Google a few images of something similar. So, after a few false starts with negative results, I finally searched Google images for "vintage brass beer tap". As you can see, the first few rows are somewhat suggestive of my "key" but not really conclusive.

    Then I ran into this image. Ding. Ding Ding. We have a winner. Described as an "antique brass spigot key", this is so close to item I have to call this conclusive and thanks go to Gerry, Arcade Al, and SafeOne for the win. And sure enough, searching Google images for "antique brass spigot key" returns several similar items. Mystery solved.

    Ah, but from this solution comes the next question: Exactly which company's "spigot key" do I have and can I get any estimate as to its age. I'll focus in on this topic and see if I can take this any further... Thanks again.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    113
    Country: United States

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