Thursday Salute to Originals: Keys
One of our designers recently lost her keys. And not just one, the whole key ring – house key, office key, car key, gym locker key, and more. Though small and unassuming, these little buggers are actually really powerful tools; its only when you lose them that you realize their value. But in her frantic search for them, our office got on a tangent about keys and what cleverly – and often beautifully – designed little pieces of art they truly are.
So being a team of curious designers, we did some Googling and compiled some of the most interesting and intricately designed keys around. Form and function all wrapped in a small piece of metal. Enjoy!
From rudimentary ancient predecessors to the more modern counterparts we use every day, we salute keys of all shapes and sizes. The function at the heart of their form, no matter what the aesthetic, is truly an original design and engineering accomplishment that has stood the test of time. Now if only they were just a little easier to keep track of!
Image Credits: Davis Body Shop; Castle Life; The British Museum; The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Roman Key); Reddit; The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Masterpiece Key); Ancient Art Tumblr; Ancient Resource; Munch Historical Society; The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Courtier’s Key)