Escutcheons, also known as keyhole covers or keyhole surrounds, are decorative plates that surround a keyhole. They serve both an aesthetic purpose, adding ornamentation to furniture or doors, and a functional one, protecting the wood from damage when a key is inserted or turned. These decorative elements were particularly popular during periods of elaborate furniture design, such as the Rococo, Neoclassical, and Victorian eras.
These particular escutcheons exhibit a serpentine, flowing design with intricate cut-outs, characteristic of late 19th century decorative hardware. The material, brass, was commonly used for such fittings due to its durability and malleability, allowing for detailed ornamentation. The presence of a keyhole shape indicates their primary function, likely for cabinets, chests, or possibly clock casings.
* Please note we use AI to create an image of the actual item in an environment where it may be typically found. Sometimes these images do not get the perspective quite right! Please be sure to carefully check item dimensions before purchase. The item shown is the actual item you will receive but any backgrounds are artificially added.
Maker / mark / hallmarks: none
Sourced: in Normandy, France
Origin: French
Age: circa 1900’s
Materials: brass
Size roughly: 34.5 x 3.5 cm – 13.5 x 1 inches
Condition: in antique condition with signs of previous use, tarnish, both have different colours due to age and use, oxidization and patina, surface rust
Weight: 400g
Shipped from France
EVE SKU number: 19072026006
Important safety information is located at the bottom of this item description
Find similar items in our store EVEofEurope here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EVEofEurope/search?search_query=key
Find similar items in our store EVEdeFrance here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EVEdeFrance/search?search_query=key
Why EVE? – We have extensive experience of trading in antiques and collectables on Etsy for over fifteen years. We have sold online for over twenty five years and have been in global retail for over thirty five years working in the US, the Middle East and all over Europe. We ship thousands of parcels, of all shapes and sizes, flawlessly all over the world every year. We carry perhaps the biggest individual online selection of always at least 10000+ vintage and antique items sourced throughout Europe in our shops on Etsy and our own website. We offer a no quibble refund policy, even if you just change your mind.
PRICE MATCH – Have you found the same item in the same condition cheaper elsewhere? Give us a shout and send us a link to the item and we’ll see what we can do. Where possible we will try to match or even beat our competitors’ prices.
SHIPPING DISCOUNTS – We have 1000’s of items in our Etsy stores and you will generally only pay postage on the heaviest item you buy. The rest, if they individually weigh less than 1kg each, are very often sent free (heavy items do incur an extra fee). Discounts will be automatically applied at checkout for multiple item orders. Shop across our two stores and we will combine postage and find the very best postage deal we can for you. Find out more about our shipping procedures, policies and pricing here: https://www.europeanvintageemporium.com/postage
PACKAGING – Where possible we use recycled or recyclable packaging (All new packaging options are available at checkout for an extra cost). Sometimes this is not possible; For example, paper tape will not stand up to the rigours of international shipping. We are though constantly evolving our business practices to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Did you know Etsy offset carbon emissions on all sales? In partnership with ecologi we also plant a tree for every sale we make on Etsy. You can find out more about this initiative here: https://www.europeanvintageemporium.com/environmentally-friendlier-business/
POLISHING / WAXING / TINT – We sell everything as we find it but we offer a range of polishing, waxing and finishing services. Get in touch if you would like to discuss giving your purchase a makeover! Prices start from 10 Euros for small items.
These links will take you straight to our shop homepages on Etsy:
EVE of Europe (5000+ items): https://www.etsy.com/shop/EVEofEurope
EVE de France (2000+ items): https://www.etsy.com/shop/EVEdeFrance
Mr EVE (500+ items): https://www.etsy.com/shop/MrEVE
EVE DAMON (100 items): https://www.etsy.com/shop/EVEDAMON
You can contact us directly at mail@euviem.com or through Etsy convos.
Favourite our shops and follow us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/EuropeanVintageEmporium , Instagram – www.instagram.com/european_vintage_emporium and Pinterest – www.pinterest.co.uk/EuropeanVintageEmporium to keep track of our latest travels, finds and European capers!
* Note. Postage from France falls into bands. Up to 2kg is a reasonable cost but anything over 2kg gets expensive. The more expensive bands are 2-5kg, 5-10kg, 10-20kg and 20-30kg. So when purchasing multiple orders, we can sometimes make savings over and above automatic postage discounts applied at checkout. For example, if you buy 4 items weighing 2kg each (allowing 2kg for packaging) we can pack those items into a 10kg package. Automatic discounts applied at checkout are usually pretty close but if you are considering multiple purchases and especially from more than one of our shops get in touch with details of the items you are considering buying and we will let you know if we can do any better on postage.
Questions or concerns? Get in touch through Etsy conversations or mail us at mail@euviem.com for a quick response.
Product safety and General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR): Antique items – keys, key lock and covers
Antique items are exempt from GPSR legislation but we offer the following safety advice:
Intended Use: This antique key is intended for decorative purposes only.
Condition: Due to its vintage nature, this key may have signs of wear and tear, being made of old materials we cannot guarantee it’s long term durability although it has already been around for 100 years!
Children: This item is not a toy. Keep out of reach of children to prevent accidents.
Disclaimer: European Vintage Emporium is not liable for any injuries or damages resulting from the misuse or use of this product. By purchasing this item, you acknowledge and accept the above safety guidelines.
We specialise in often unique vintage and antique items. While we strive to ensure the safety and quality of our products we source and offer for sale, please note that vintage and antique items may not meet current safety standards and regulations. They were generally created before such regulations existed.
All items are sold as spares / repairs / props and collectibles and are generally intended for decorative purposes only. They may contain materials or components that are not suitable for use by children or in certain environments. Customers are advised to handle these items with care and to keep them out of reach of children.
Everything we sell is on 30 day approval. If it doesn’t work for you as expected just return it for a full refund. We appreciate shopping online is sometimes difficult. We do a lot of it! We are often surprised by what we receive. You can usually avoid any disappointment by fully reading product descriptions and checking all listing photos where we strive to detail any defects our vintage and antique items may have. Any less than great feedback we receive is nearly always as a result of customers not reading product descriptions or looking at all photos.
If you have any safety queries or issues with our vintage/antique items you should message us on Etsy or contact our “GPSR representative” at mail [!at] euviem.com or write to;
European Vintage Emporium
GPSR (Stephen Miles)
4 Route de la See, Cherence Le Roussel,
50520 JUVIGNY LES VALLEES, France
You can read more on how we are fulfilling our GPSR obligations on new listings created after 13th December 2024 by following this link to our website:

