Description:

Europe, ca. 17th century CE. Three cast-iron keys, each with a large round grip, a dense shaft, and intricately-designed notches and bits, one in a circular shape, the other two cruciform. After the fall of the Roman Empire, locks and keys remained essentially unaltered for 1,500 years. It was the responsibility of the local locksmith to create painstaking designs, each ornate and unique in its own right, with a plethora of design forms like the examples featured here. Women of elite and middle-class households were known as the "keeper of the keys," oftentimes wearing a ring of keys on their belts or on a necklace. Size of largest: 4.25" L (10.8 cm).

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#129937

  • Condition: All items have age-commensurate surface wear and nice rusted patina, but details are well-preserved as is form.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

January 4, 2018 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000