Inherited Keys - This One Is Hinged - For a Clock?

theflyingsultan

This is my first post to this brilliant forum. I dont actually collect keys, but have inherited some very beautiful ones and some which seem quite unusual.

My aunt collected locks and keys (I only have one lock), but plenty of keys.

This one (which I am going to upload an image of) is so pretty. It has a kind of pivot which allows the blade to snap back into the arch of the key handle. The hole inside the shaft, which is hollow, is square.

I would love to know more about this key, if anyone has any clues, I would appreciate it.

Paul Prescott

I would agree with you, sure looks like a clock key.

Brian Denyer

Some antique hardware had a square barrel like this one.
The bolt was activated by turning a screw shaft with the key.
A few types of these locking devices had internal threads also.

Brian …………………………….

Dean Nickel

There is one other thing it might be. A tool for a gun. I remember seeing a tool like that at a gun show for an old rifle site.