Antique and Vintage Keys

The word “key,” which comes from the Old English word meaning “serving to open or explain,” has always had metaphorical associations, as in a means to uncover ideas or emotions that are hidden or blocked. These days, we use the word “key” quite broadly—it can refer to the magnetic cards that let us into buildings or even the computer passwords that allow access to our own data. The earliest keys were wooden and designed to open locks that...Continue Reading