Found old skeleton key

Bethw917

Hi everyone

I bought my house back in Aug the backyard was a little over grown towards the back we cleared all that out and then I was dumping some of my mulch that I had from the leaves and what not in that area and I stepped on something and it popped up a bit and there was this old skeleton key. I dont know much about these or anything so if anyone can give me some info on it that would be awesome it seems kinda cool to me but dont know if its a reproduction or real or what era its from exactly or something….its kind of heavy to me I dont have anything to weigh it with. its a bit dirty obviously so I cant tell what its made of either but I know its not something plastic! I used my cable remote for a size comparison and took the pics with my iphone4…..I cant see that there is anything written on the key or anything if it would help to have a pic of a certain part of the key or something let me know I can take more if that would help some way!

Thanks for the help
Beth.
http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i249/irishcountrybabe/?action=view&current=keyphoto.jpg

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i249/irishcountrybabe/?action=view&current=keyphoto23.jpg

Tom Gordon

The “stop” on the shank is too large and there shouldnt be a narrower part of the shank inbetween the stop and the operating part of the key. So, I am afraid I believe it is only decorative, although it is close to a genuine key.

Dean Nickel

It is possible that this key was only used from one side of a door or lock. I agree that the stop is larger than is should be but it still might be a working key.

Tom Gordon

But if the wider part is a stop, then it shouldnt have the narrower bit

Bethw917

Someone told me it was a 1700 or 1800’s wire bow key I think they said but I don’t know about these so I don’t know if that means anything or not lol

Tom Gordon

Your key is not like these at all, I am afraid

http://www.antique-locks.com/attachments/keys/1584d1252788401-what-age-these-keys-keysk.jpg

Bethw917

heres a close up pic of the bottom part not sure if that is the bit you guys are talking about as I have no clue to these things!! and I appreciate the help! I also posted it on yahoo answers and this person gave me this reply

"
I have a subscription to a website that shows me what ended listings sold for in the past month, and I found one, similar size and condition to this one that sold on auction for $25, but I see a lot of them that sell anywhere around $20-$150.

Just list it starting at .99, and see what happens. you found it in your backyard.

But officially, I would say it is worth around $20-$40. It’s in pretty rough condition (but don’t try to clean it. Will just decrease value) and they are pretty common.
"

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

Thanks for the closeup. The S shaped parts are the bit. The round part they are attached to is the shank. The larger bell shaped area is the stop. It is this stop being too large that concerned Tom along with the reduced diameter of the shank where it meets the stop. I must agree with Tom that it cannot serve a purpose and because of that is just a decorative reproduction. That doesn’t mean it has no value, just that it isn’t a real key.
BBE.

Brian Denyer

I have to disagree. Sometimes acquired wear can account for the smaller wear between the Shoulder Stop and Beard. As for the Shoulder Stop being oversize, that is a just a personal design option, because back in those days there were only general conceptual designs for the Key Shank portion. It seems a bit odd that if found in the back yard it surfaced at ths time? If the key was burid then a deeper amount of corrosion would be shown. Although the key does show some aspects of a decorative piece, it is made too well and of a different size then most decorative keys.

Brian …………………………………………………………

Tom Gordon

I agree with Brian that wear could account for the narrowed part near the stop, but in this case I am pretty certain that it is not wear. Wear does tend to be on one side of the bit more than the other, but this key has no wear visible on the other side at all and the taper down to the narrowest bit is perfect and from manufacture not wear. It is true that the stop is personal taste of the manufacturer - up to a point. When it is larger than the bearing on the case requires for practical reasons, then it requires a non standard larger hole in the escutcheon, without any benefit from so doing.
I am confident that this is pretty but a copy.

Brian Denyer

Yes, Tom I agree. But, I have seen Institutional keys worn beyond all belief. It would be nice to have a picture of the Beard wear pattern. Perhaps a picture of the bottom of the beard? It is a pretty good Decorative key if that is what it is indeed? A few keys Bridge ward keys I have seen were permanently mounted inside of the lock case by a retaining plate, and stayed in place for the duration of the locks life cycle. So right now I can’t be certain of the usage for this key? The narrowest portion of the shaft have been repeated in 3 parts of the key, and perhaps this narrow portion isn’t part of the acquired wear pattern?

Brian …………………………………………….

Dean Nickel

If you look you can see the cast marks in that narrow part all the way to the tip. So this is a cast key.

matty

wow! either way it is a very nice find!

I think that the smaller part of the shank, in front of the stop is an engineered design, so if any debris gets into the lock mechanism or on the key, you will be able to jimmy the lock a little, and remove the debris, to ensure operation?

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

Tom Gordon wrote
I agree with Brian that wear could account for the narrowed part near the stop, but in this case I am pretty certain that it is not wear. Wear does tend to be on one side of the bit more than the other………..

I’m pretty sure it isn’t wear either as wear would have certainly worn off the parting line from the die that is clearly visible on the stop and the S shaped parts of the bit right at the centerline. I think it was purely decorative.
BBE.

[unknown]

Chris Belcher

A couple more things to note….The space between the shoulder and the blade/flag usually indicates the thickness of the lock case material plus escutcheon. With this key,it is far too great, at least 10mm. The reduced stem diameter between the collar and the blade/flag plus escutcheon, usually, is wider than the thickness of the lock case material thickness, and should therefor cover the whole of the distance between the shoulder and blade/flag.

Brian Denyer

I suppose this is why key collecting is so fascinating because
of all the different possible interpretations.
We enjoy living in a democracy and can freely debate our viewpoints.

All we need to do is get someone to do a seance and contact those ancient souls
and ask them for alot of lost background info ?
Hey, just joking.

Brian………………………………………………………