Nested Bramah Key
This is a very unusual and rare mechanical
Nested Bramah Key. The key consists of a Bramah key with another Bramah key inside of it. The spring inside the bow is manually contracted and turned (rotated) locking the inside bit in the visible and extended position. Very little is known about the original function of this key. The key was possibly used for a challenge, safe, vault or patent lock or was a prototype that never realized production, but research has not turned up anything. Much more likely, it was made as a novelty of sorts, either as a “trick” for a lock, or to go to two separate locks contained within the same house (door and jewelry box, for ex.). Unfortunately I have been unsuccessful thus far in locating a British or European patent for this key, but I am hoping someone with access to the old records can find something and forward me a copy. It is possibly (likely) made by someone else during the time period after Bramah’s original patent expired. S. Morden is known for making a Bramah style lock. The only known supposedly nested Bramah style lock is the Houdini Mirror Cuffs, which you can read more about here from the 1904 paper:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9682308?searchTerm=%22houdini%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc
And for more information on replicas that have been made, see here:
http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2013/03/guest-blog-replica-mirror-cuffs.html
It is believed this key dates to 50-75 years before the Houdini Cuffs.
The key is 3 inches long in the closed position and about 3 1/2 inches long when fully extended. The larger outer barrel has 8 different cuts while the inner barrel has 4 different cuts. The outer barrel is 3/8 inch diameter while the inner is 1/4 inch diameter. The key does have some minor rusting on it, but overall is in good working condition.
The other side of the extended key:
A view of the key not extended. Note the screw and rotation slots used to extend the inner bit.
A view of the key not extended:
A view of the other side of the key extended:
A close-up view of the bow with the spring and brass push-down:
Another view of the key extended:
Another view of the key extended: Note the compressed spring:
Close-up view of the key with the extended bit:
This is a very unusual and rare mechanical Nested Bramah Key. The key consists of a Bramah key with another Bramah key inside of it. The spring inside the bow is manually contracted and turned (rotated) locking the inside bit in the visible and extended position. Very little is known about the original function of this key. The key was possibly used for a challenge, safe, vault or patent lock or was a prototype that never realized production, but research has not turned up anything. Much more likely, it was made as a novelty of sorts, either as a “trick” for a lock, or to go to two separate locks contained within the same house (door and jewelry box, for ex.). Unfortunately I have been unsuccessful thus far in locating a British or European patent for this key, but I am hoping someone with access to the old records can find something and forward me a copy. It is possibly (likely) made by someone else during the time period after Bramah’s original patent expired. S. Morden is known for making a Bramah style lock. The only known supposedly nested Bramah style lock is the Houdini Mirror Cuffs, which you can read more about here from the 1904 paper:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9682308?searchTerm=%22houdini%22&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc
And for more information on replicas that have been made, see here:
http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2013/03/guest-blog-replica-mirror-cuffs.html
It is believed this key dates to 50-75 years before the Houdini Cuffs.
The key is 3 inches long in the closed position and about 3 1/2 inches long when fully extended. The larger outer barrel has 8 different cuts while the inner barrel has 4 different cuts. The outer barrel is 3/8 inch diameter while the inner is 1/4 inch diameter. The key does have some minor rusting on it, but overall is in good working condition.
The other side of the extended key:
A view of the key not extended. Note the screw and rotation slots used to extend the inner bit.
A view of the key not extended:
A view of the other side of the key extended:
A close-up view of the bow with the spring and brass push-down:
Another view of the key extended:
Another view of the key extended: Note the compressed spring:
Close-up view of the key with the extended bit:
