✅ SOLVED Its a large brass key - but how old? and what for?

[OutdoorAdv]

It's a large brass key - but how old? and what for?

I found this key years ago at a home site that dated to the late 1700's. It's turned out to be one of my favorite relics and has an amazing green patina. I would really like to find some more information on it though.

Is there any way to give a rough estimate of how old this thing is?

Also, any idea what a key this large would be used for? Besides locking something! haha

Little over 5 inches



Has the numbers "15" and "2" stamped


Thank you all in advanced!

 

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[jeff of pa]

could be a door key

I have a friend who lived in a house about 2 or 3 years ago,
that she needed a Gigantic Skeleton key to open the Back door

 

[OutdoorAdv]

could be a door key

I have a friend who lived in a house about 2 or 3 years ago,
that she needed a Gigantic Skeleton key to open the Back door

The house I found it at was an abandoned house up the road where I grew up a long time ago. Those abandoned houses are always hard to detect since they end up turning into a trash pit... yard was littered with junk. The house had an original log cabin section and then multiple additions throughout the 1800's. If I remember correctly, all the doors had their original hardware on them.... but I was young then and when I found it I wasn't thinking that the lock it went to could still be in\on the house. Bummer... since then the house was sold\bought and totally restored... looks incredible now. "20 year ago Brad" dug it and thought 'cool, an old key'... "Today Brad" would have dug it and thought 'I'm going to find the lock in this house' ha Wish I still had that property to detect on.

 

[Ant]

Look up antique brass mortise lock cabinet skeleton key, very nice find.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Thanks Ant! The punched numbers look like a very old style to me. Cant seem to find a good resource page on dating something like this, but I'm thinking it must be mid 1800's.

I started detecting when I was in my early teens and for a few years I spend every waking minute detecting and was totally addicted. Lost interest after a while and would pull my old whites coinmaster out here and there for an hour or so. Fast forward 20 years and I decided to get back into it a couple years ago and upgraded all my equipment since I knew I loved the hobby. There was no internet or forums when I first started, so some of the most fun I have had is going back through all the old stuff I found and realizing how blessed I was in the area I lived in as a kid.

I grew up on 6 acres that used to be a mineral springs resort from the early 1800's. The first target I ever dug when I was 13 years old was a 1809 Half Cent! I dug as many Large Cents as I did Indian Head's, filled multiple rolls with Wheat Cents, dug Barber silver spills, etc.. all in my backyard. At that age I would toss all the relics in a box and was only interest in coins... so I would crank up the discrimination Even hitting that same property for years, I know I left the best stuff back there in the ground. Since getting back into the hobby I have found that I am way more interested in relics than I am coins. I've realized that property is the type of place I dream of hunting today. If I could only go back and slap around my 13 yr old self and make him dig every signal! ha At least I had boxes of relics to go through now that I can appreciate them... if I could only get back the complete brass stirrups I left in an iron "junk" pile back at our barn when we moved forever ago! Don't let kids metal detect alone without an adult. haha

 

[Ant]

It seems as though the skeleton key that you found is very desireable amoung collectors, WTG.
I'm sure that the stamped numbers on the key are a locksmith code.

WoW, I'm going to be just like you as soon as I retire. I've been with DOD for 37 years, but it is hard to let go. I have found several Skeleton keys and the one that you found could date back to the 1800's. I have one that I think has the same shaped twist handle but is smaller and not a cabinet Skeleton key. I will look when after work when I get home and post a picture. I know I posted most of them on TN but I could only find one that I mentioned in the title. Here's one that I found in a sidewalk dig out, posted in this thread:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...kelton-key-old-tootsie-toy-jeep-2-wheats.html

 

[Ant]

I did a little research and found that the skeleton key has 3 basic parts, the handle that you turn is called a Bow, the tab that actuates the lock is called a Bit, and the part that connects the two is called the Shank. On very old skeleton I see that the shank tends to be smooth with no sign of rings near the bit. I think that the ring closest to the bit prevents the key from being inserted too deep into the keyhole. The more ornate and old the skeleton key is the more collectable is it. Also virtually every home in the 1950 was fitted with skeleton key locks.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Thanks for all that info Ant! Great to know that terminology when dealing with keys now. I have found a couple brass "bows" from broken keys, and a few more modern iron skeleton keys. This key is huge though and the lock it went to must have been pretty heavy duty. Here are a few more pictures.



The right side of the bow is worn. Appears as though it might have hung from a iron ring or something to make it slowly wear down over the years. Also the wear makes sense if it was hanging from something, since that the side the key is weighted to fall to.



There are some rings at the end of the shank, before the bits. I cant tell if they are wear marks or filed when a locksmith made it though.

 

[coinman123]

Skeleton keys were made from 1700's-1940's, yours looks to be from the early to mid 1800's. Really Cool find!

 

[coinman123]

Skeleton keys were made from 1700's-1940's, yours looks to be from the early to mid 1800's. Really Cool find!
I agree with jeff of pa on door key.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Skeleton keys were made from 1700's-1940's, yours looks to be from the early to mid 1800's. Really Cool find!
I agree with jeff of pa on door key.

Awesome! Thanks coinman.

I googled around some more and it sounds like these things are hard to date. I was also thinking mid 1800's... except that my thinking is not based on any experience or facts... just that the font type of the punched numbers looks to be from that era or before. haha I think I might still know someone who knows the people that now live in the restored house I found it at. I think its time I tried to get permission to go back there. This key and a great solid sterling Hickock buckle were all I found there 20 years ago (along with the usual trash)... and I only detected for an hour or two!