Antique Barrel Keys & Round Keys for Old Doors A lot of times you can identify what a key is used for based on its shape and style. The first step in identifying a key you might find is to look at the shape of the key and take note of any marks that might indicate the brand or manufacturer. Identifying Key Styles By Shape & Common Use Most hotels have completely bypassed traditional key and lock systems and use a plastic card that looks like a credit card that you swipe through the slot on the door or may use a pin or fingerprint based system to allow access. In today’s digital era, keys sometimes are not even needed. People love to use them for crafts and decorate with them! The good news is the charm and demand is higher than ever for old vintage keys (or even keys that look vintage). Today there are also a lot of reproductions and replacement keys that mimic old fashioned key styles so this too is something to consider if you stumble across an old key and wondering its value. Note that a lot of keys are made from magnetic ferrous metals prone to rust, so just because it’s rusty doesn’t necessarily mean it is old or an antique! If the key does stick to a magnet, it is most likely made out of steel and iron. If the key does not stick to a magnet, it is likely stainless steel or brass. If you are not sure what kind of metal your key is made of, one of the easiest ways to find out is to hold a magnet to it. Historically, keys have been made from all sorts of materials, including wood, although the ones you will most likely find today are made from different types of metal, such as yellow brass, white brass (also called sometimes called nickel silver), and steel. Keys have also often been lost over the years, so it’s one of those things you might find often when you are metal detecting! What Are Keys Made Of? Travelers often needed keys and locks when they went to different places, since thieves tend to target people who are unfamiliar with local knowledge. We’ve used keys for all sorts of things – to protect our homes, protect our valuables, or even to protect our deepest inner thoughts scrawled in an old diary.įor this reason, many people see the key as a symbol for wisdom, knowledge, hidden and guarded secrets or even protection. While we don’t know a whole lot about how the very first locks and keys ever made came to be, there is evidence of keys and locks being used in the archeological ruins of what was once the Mesopotamia kingdom. When you think about the sorts of reasons people used locks and keys, there certainly are a lot of stories one can imagine from just a single key found.
Security is a basic human need, and so it’s not surprising that locks and keys have a long and fascinating history that spans over thousands of years. In this post we’ll share the history of old keys, the many types of keys with image examples and a list of popular key manufacturers to help you identify your keys and estimate their value! The History of Keys: Our Quest for Security Understanding the different types of antique keys and a little bit about locks throughout history can help you identify what kind of key you may have found. If you ever find an old key, you might be wondering what type of lock it goes to or what kind of key it could be. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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