Key - Safe

Stunning! The item offered at auction is an ancient and rare iron key dating from the 18th to the 19th century. The key features an articulated structure consisting of a cylindrical shank and an elaborate warding map for complex locks, typical of past lever or double-bit locks, used for safes of the era. The key is entirely hand-forged iron in folk-art style and comes from the private collection of an antiquarian. The key is in good overall aesthetic condition and shows the normal signs of wear from time, including surface oxidation, which do not diminish the beauty of the object but rather represent a concrete and tangible testament to a past era, acting as “portals through time,” telling stories, ways of life, artisanal techniques, and aesthetic values that have changed or disappeared, making it a collectible piece valued for its historical and decorative significance. More than a simple object, today the key constitutes a true museum artifact. Its dimensions are 13 x 6 x 1 cm and weight 54 g. Photos are an integral part of the description. Object viewed and appreciated through photographic documentation and, in its current condition, again documented photographically.