Lately my eye has been drawn to a particular vintage find; keys, elegant and graceful forms of metal.
A few ideas for my newly beloved old keys:
{Make a composition of vintage keys hung directly on the wall}
{Mount them in an heirloom frame for a whimsical piece of art}
{Mount them perpendicular to a wall or board for a nostalgic hook}
{Attach them to hardware and create unique furniture handles}
{Use one as a key ring and make all your other keys jealous}
{Thread one, or a handful, on ribbon for a necklace that sings}
Part of the magnetism to vintage keys is the chase and pursuit. Scouring vintage and antique stores for the perfectly ornate skeleton key is nourishing. Not into foot traffic and musky smells? Scouring Etsy for vintage keys is almost as merry. Here are just a few of the Etsy shops that have vintage keys for sale:
Red Dog Foundry has vintage keys galore {literally, so many glorious options}.
Cool Vintage has an Etsy shop full of vintage keys and several vintage escutcheons {keyholes just as lovely as the keys}. Oh, and did I mention the sale?!?
Creative Artifacts has several collections of vintage keys for purchase, there is something illustrious about two dimensional patina.
Regina's Studio sells unique, almost endearing vintage keys, and so many other distractions {Nayapaisa Antique Coins anyone?}.
Steampunk Supply has a heap of vintage key options. Don't even get me started on the vintage clock hands. Does anyone else see an amazing statement necklace when they glance at vintage clock hands? Or a nostalgic brooch when they see Victorian watch movements?
Pottery Barn sells this set of seven Vintage Keys. Admittedly, they lack the character of actual vintage finds, but they are readily available...
There is more to the attraction than just visual appeal {but they are so visually appealing}. Beyond the beauty, they are symbols. They optimistically open doors and chests full of hope. They are the keys to the past; they have stories and they invite the opportunity to imagine them.
Whether it's their irregular surface and antique finish or their deep tales of ambiguity; either way, I adore them.
