Cast Iron Gardeners Keys by Gardman

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The other types are very rare; type 5c has a double-sided bit, type 5d appears to be a cruder version of type 5a, and type 5e has a decorative projection which does not appear to have worked as a functional key. These barrel keys are relatively easy to identify because they have an opening at the end shaft of the key, much like a “barrel”. It will be clear from this that any jargon terms such as lift key or rotary key cannot be used without full explanation of what you mean, and are no substitute for a meticulous description.

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. A lot of times you can identify what a key is used for based on its shape and style. 1. Antique Barrel Keys & Round Keys for Old Doors The remaining types are those with the solid stems, either in line with the end of the bit or projecting beyond. If larger than a casket key, these theoretically fall into Winchester types 6, 7, and 8, and London types IV, V, VII and VIII. But examples in copper alloy are rare, and it is not worth trying to allocate them to a typology which was essentially developed for iron keys. Some of the very few large copper-alloy keys that are not London type VI, nor really Winchester type 5 because the split part of their stems are not particularly long. Left: SWYOR-704617. Right: GAT-954187. These categories are really only relevant for iron keys, which are forged rather than cast (copper-alloy keys tend to be simply cast in one piece, or occasionally made from folded sheet). In November 2018, Kingston announced that the IronKey had new features and was now FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified. [13] Casket keys do not fall into either Winchester or London types. For these, it is useful to use ‘casket’ in the Description field.Where the bow is turned at 90˚ to the modern orientation, there is a strong likelihood that the key is Roman. This feature is occasionally found with openwork key handles (such as SF-491826 illustrated above) and with solid rectangular handles (such as BH-E374F2, LVPL-556548 and SUR-19B512, all illustrated above). Roman slide keys have ‘teeth’ on their bits ( WAW-9D3A02 illustrated above has six teeth) whereas the word ‘ward’ seems to be more commonly used for other keys. Bows with a pair of internal projections are confined to the post-medieval period. Later post-medieval keys often had the bow shaped internally to a slight figure-of-eight form, as if they were intended for use with two fingers. Age: Generally speaking, the older something is the more potential value it might have. Ancient keys that are over 500 years old certainly do fetch a nice amount, although they are not generally easy to find and also do not have a huge market.

These usually consist of the handle or bow only, because the stem and bit were made from iron. Exceptionally, BH-57A610 is made entirely from copper alloy, and has a hollow stem and massive bit which together look horribly like a medieval rotary key of London type VI (see below); caution should therefore be exercised when dealing with fragments. SOMDOR-9B8C55 is similar, but with an iron stem and bit surviving. Two large Roman keys with openwork trilobate handles. Above, SOMDOR-9B8C55; below, BH-57A610. Both are c. 130mm long. Phonograph cabinet keys are very similar in style to antique barrel keys, but one main difference is they usually have some type of specialty design on the head/bow of the key or in some cases even a logo/maker’s mark on them. The keys that go along with master keys are sometimes called valet keys {useful for cars parked in a garage where you do not want to give the attendant access to the glove box} and are also sometimes called (controversially) as slave keys. This essay by Peggy Shinner on LitHub is an insightful read on that topic. 3. Phonograph Cabinet Keys Victrola Phonograph Cabinet Key found by Shawn White while metal detecting at an old homestead. On top of its industry-leading data protection, IronKey D300S / D300SM provides a unique serial-number and barcode printed on drive and virtual keyboard 4. Managed model Material: Another thing to consider is what the key is made of. Precious metals such as gold and silver are going to fetch far more than a key made of ferrous iron. Brass keys are common, but are also worth slightly more than the ones made out of iron as they will not rust and are more valuable metal at the scrap yard.The keys you may find of this variety very well could have once belonged to an old antique steamer trunk. Once the railroads in the U.S. were built, it was very common for people to travel by rail to visit family and friends. 5. Vintage & Antique Suitcase Keys 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. Other examples of keys with solid handles have a simpler bit which projects at right angles to the handle. These may have been rotary keys. Three small copper-alloy Roman keys with solid handles. Left to right: BH-E374F2, LVPL-556548, SUR-19B512. We have a few copper-alloy examples recorded on the PAS database, which are probably of similar date; and, exceptionally, one 95% silver example ( HAMP-66BB77). Some are decorated, and where the decoration is diagnostic, it usually suggests a Roman date. Note the Roman-style handles on HAMP-66BB77 and BH-0852F6. The best source for Roman keys covers only the iron examples ( Manning 1985) but also mentions a few copper-alloy examples in passing.