Silver Skeleton Key - need help identifying marks

[lyndakx]

I have a Silver Skeleton Key, approx. 6.25" long. I don't know if it's American or European. I would love if someone can identify the marks for me so I can have an idea of its age, where it's from and what it may have been used for. I bought it from an antique shop in Taunton MA 8 yrs ago because it intrigued me, and have always wondered about it.

Thank you in advance for any help anyone can provide!

~Lynda

[dragonflywink]

Hi, Lynda ~ Welcome to the forums.

Pretty piece, I have a weakness for keys - yours was made by Masini Gioielli of Firenze (Florence); not very old, believe it's still in production. They've produced a series of different keys, sold as pendants, keychains, etc. - the official Italian mark is a bit obscured, but it should show their registration number, '197' and the 'FI' abbreviation for Florence. Please see "1968 ~ Present" marks here: Italian Hallmarks

~Cheryl

[dognose]

Masini appear to have gone under in 2010:



Italian Silverware and Jewellery Manufacturers

Trev.

[lyndakx]

Thank you both so much for the valuable information... I can see what you mean about the rectangular mark (68 - present)... would you be able to tell me what each of the other individual marks are and what they denote? I don't see how something this large & heavy could be used as jewelry or a pendant though! :)

Lynda

[dragonflywink]

Heh - missed the size mentioned, yours would be one of the "etc." pieces, just a bibelot - suppose it could be used as a paperweight, the large ones usually weigh over a hundred grams (if you do a google image search for 'masini gioielli key', a number of images will come up, including ones like yours with their original tassels). Looking at the marks in your last pic, the first is the official maker's mark, the second is the standard mark of a '925' in oval, the third is unclear to me, and the fourth is the company's trademark.

~Cheryl

[lyndakx]

That's awesome - thank you so much, Cheryl!

Lynda