Comments on: Are you the gatekeeper?

Question: Are you the gatekeeper?

mbrubeck — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 10:35:33 -0800

Can you identify this key?

It's been in a drawer in our house for years, and no one remembers why. It doesn't fit any lock we can find in our possession (jewelry boxes, doors, luggage...). Now we're just curious about where it came from. I know this is a long shot, but can anyone recognize this key or make an educated guess as to its origin?

Actual size is 2.25 inches (57 mm). Scratches and grooves in the metal seem to indicate that it has seen some use in the past.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 10:49:21 -0800

My parents have a few very similar keys that fit their antique dresser, chest of drawers, and china cabinets. My best guess it that is for an older piece of furniture.

By: terrapin

terrapin — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 11:04:39 -0800

I was going to say it looks like the keys we have to our old china cabinet.

By: cloeburner

cloeburner — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 11:10:11 -0800

Definitely looks similar to the key that our family had for an antique cabinet.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 11:14:44 -0800

Yep, I concur...it's probably from an old cabinet, which may not even be in your house any longer. If you've seen the movie The Indian in the Cupboard, your key's remarkably similar to the key used to open the antique cupboard in the story, which looked sort of like a fancy wooden painted wall medicine cabinet. In the movie, the mother collects old keys, and has a biscuit tin filled with keys that look like yours.

By: jeremias

jeremias — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 11:15:30 -0800

Agreed, in fact the "key" part (the section that goes into the lock) looks exactly like the key to our desk/bureau seen here, vintage late 1800's I believe.

By: mbrubeck

mbrubeck — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 11:21:59 -0800

Amazing! Meredith's post prompted me to go to the garage and unearth a beat-up old secretary desk. The key unlocks the top desk drawer. (Sorry, no further mysteries or treasures in the drawer.)

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 11:24:25 -0800

most certainly for an old secretary or cabinet ... my grandparents had one of those with a key just like that

By: kaseijin

kaseijin — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 12:06:00 -0800

Is it also possible that it could be a reproduction? I vaguely remember the local craft store selling these by the bin-full a few years back...all repro hutch/curio/armoire/china keys.

By: Incharitable Dog

Incharitable Dog — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 12:12:40 -0800

Meredith might have been right on the money, but it sure looks like an old-fashioned handcuff key to me...

By: wackybrit

wackybrit — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 13:06:32 -0800

I've seen one like this on a grandfather clock's door.

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 09:30:51 -0800

Damn, before I clicked the link I was ready to say "G# minor?"