Fabulous and extremely rare hand-forged iron trade sign in the form of a pretzel. The sign retains an old gilt surface. There is a strong trace of red, yellow and blue paint on the back side and edges of the pretzel, no doubt the colors that were used on the wall or backboard to which the sign was attached through the 13 mounting holes. There also appears to be a red layer underneath the gold. This layer was probably intended to be an undercoating to give the gilding more depth...

A rare folding key, probably British, and late 18th/19th. century.

This type of key is of course a 'must have' for serious Key and Lock collectors and quite difficult to find on the market.

Size: 196 mm. when opened and 113 mm. closed, making it a very large key of the type.

Condition: Good Very fine, excellent metal with minor rust and black patina.

Reff...

A rare type of iron key from box or cabinet very, European c. later 16th. century.

An interesting key with a disc shaped decoration on the bow and complicated stem and bit.

Size: 92 mm. long.

Condition: Nice VF, good metal.

Ex. Danish Collection of keys.

A very beautiful late renaissance to early Baroque door lock plate, probably german or Northern Europe, c. late 16th.-early 17th. century.

Fine openwork style iron wrought and cut and nicely etched with floral decorations.

Size: 24,5 cm. long.

Ex. Danish Collection of keys.

A very rare huge early vault or bankboks key, late 17th. century.

A massive key with a huge bit. Finely made, perhaps by a gunmaker. The hollow stem is long and fluted, and with a very large and elaborately made bit. Such a stem was a new invention for security keys in the period, making it much, much harder to copy. The bow compressed and with Gothic style decoration along the stem.

Size: Near 18 cm...

A lovely working condition cupboard lock, European baroque period, c. 1650-1680.

A very nice condition lock with it's matching key and ready to be installed in an antique cupboard or just for exhibition in a nice collection of early European metal antiques.

Size: c. 15 cm. long with the key being c. 9 cm. long.

Provenance: Danish Private collection of Grethe Pedersen, Ledøje, Denmark, ca. 1950-1997.