key collection info

icemandan

hello to all, i would like to state first that i am not a collector (of keys anyway) but i have recently come to posses a large number of old keys. i have been looking on here and do realize that the majority of my keys are just the run of the mill mass produced type. so i was wondering if someone may have a look and perhaps point out any that may be unusal or unique. for the most part they appear to me as being made of steel but a couple look to be bronze. most of the keys were loose in a tin but quite a few were seperated into plastic bags, and marked with the country of origin. i will post another thread with those, as too many pics for one post.

icemandan

hi again i meant to hit the review button not the submit button, i also wanted to add that keys range in size from 3- 4 ¾ inch’s. my next post i will see if i can get the text on top and the pics under. if there is anything you can tell me about my keys i would greatly appreciated.

                                           regards dan

Gerry

hello icemandan,

19th 20th century, uk…..

Brian Denyer

These are late Victorian Bridge Ward keys, judging from the flat keyheads. Earlier keys of this type had a thinner wire bow. From the length stated they were used on interior doors. Some are quite nice. The Georgian wire bow keys shown date from a earlier time. Variations in the Warding cuts may be showing progressive cuts in a series?
Perhaps if the group was broken down into smaller sets more detail can be provided?

Brian ……………………………………….

———- Post added at 07:45 PM ———- Previous post was at 07:36 PM ———-

ooops… I see that the jpegs can be enlarged.
You have some keys that have been cut down to make Master Keys & Sub-Masters
for a series of specific lock brands.
A few are Georgian keys dating from the reign of King George.
While others look like handmade keys.
I can see they divide into Internal Warding & External Warding cuts, also.
Several keys are for use on both sides of the door.
The smaller Barrel keys are to lock a cabinet are smaller padlock with simple Warding cuts.

Brian ……………………………………………..

Richard Phillips

Yes, mostly late 19C-early20C British door keys, with a few French and imported US keys,with the last pic from the inter-war period.
Most are later rather than early. On the first pic, the right-most 3 are mortice lock keys. They could be for internal doors, but the commonest use of these was as gate locks. In old town suburbs many are still in place but few still function. Many of these front garden gates also had a cable-operated remote release operated from inside the house.
I see nothing of exceptional quality or great age here. Nice to have some typical examples. And as mentioned, a few cabinet/padlock keys.