Key
Antigonish Heritage Museum
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| Object Name: | Key |
|---|---|
| Category: | Protective device |
| Material: | Metal, Iron |
| Accession Number: | 2000.083.002 |
| Other Geographical Data: | [45.6228798,-61.9883882] |
| Earliest Production Date: | 1880-01-01 |
| Latest Production Date: | 1940-12-31 |
| Description: | The keys base is a cylindrical shaft with four raised rings around its circumference. Two of the raised rings are at the end of the shaft closest to the loop and two are together in the centre. At one end of the shaft there is a loop. At the other end of the shaft there are two rectangular teeth. The teeth each have notches on the inside that mirror one another. The key has a dull, metallic finish. |
| Narrative: | A device which is used to open a lock by turning. The key consists of two parts--the blade which is inserted in the keyhole and the bow which protrudes and to which torque is applied. A key such as this was also known as a passkey or a skeleton key. It's simple design enabled one to bypass many warded locks. This key was used to access the back door of Wilkie and Cunningham Limited on Main Street, Antigonish. It was used for many years by Ernest (aka Capie) MacNaughton who was a longtime employee of the business. Wilkie and Cunningham were dealers in dry goods, furniture, and appliances. They remained in business until 1995. |
| History of Use: | Used for unlocking and locking door |
| Length: | 14 cm |
| Width: | 5 cm |
| Institution: |
Antigonish Heritage Museum
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| Institution City: | Antigonish |
| Institution Province: | Nova Scotia |