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🗝️ ANTIQUE c.1925–1949 FRENCH LICK SPRINGS HOTEL — 10 ORIGINAL RUSSWIN KEYS 🗝️
NINE NUMBERED KEYS • CONVENTION FLOOR MASTER KEY • REMARKABLE LOCKSMITH-SHOP PROVENANCE
An extraordinary opportunity to acquire TEN historic Russwin skeleton/bit keys from the legendary French Lick Springs Hotel in French Lick, Indiana, offered together as a single collection!
These substantial, clover-headed metal keys are associated with one of America’s most celebrated historic resort hotels. The collection includes nine numbered examples and an especially fascinating key marked MASTER CONVENTION FLOOR.
Even more interesting is their reported history: the previous owner, a longtime resort employee, stated that he acquired these keys from the hotel’s former locksmith shop when it closed in the late 1970s.
The purchaser will receive all ten keys, accompanied by my personally signed statement of provenance documenting their reported history and THE TEN-KEY COLLECTION
The collection includes the following nine numbered keys:
• 1005
• 1012
• 1023
• 1027
• 1028
• 1039
• 201
• 3019
• 3033
PLUS ONE PARTICULARLY INTERESTING EXAMPLE:
⭐ MASTER CONVENTION FLOOR — RUSSWIN
Unlike the numbered examples, this key identifies a specific hotel function rather than an individual guest room.
Its unusual inscription provides an intriguing connection to the hotel’s convention and meeting facilities.
The collection features several interesting differences in numbering, construction, and wear:
• Key 1027 has its identifying number stamped on the reverse rather than the front.
• Key 201 has its identifying number stamped directly on the bit rather than the clover-shaped head.
• Certain examples, including keys 1028 and 1039, display overlapping or altered number stamps, possibly indicating historical renumbering or reassignment. The reasons for these alterations are unknown.
• The keys exhibit different bit configurations, consistent with their intended use in mechanical locks.
• Surface finishes range from relatively bright metal to considerably darker, heavily patinated examples.
Each key has been photographed individually, front and back, to document its markings and condition.
All ten keys are being sold together as one lot. They will not be APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
Each key varies slightly in size and construction, but the approximate measurements are:
• Overall length: 3-1/2 inches
• Maximum width: 1-1/4 inches across the clover-shaped head
• Combined weight of all ten keys: 285 grams (approximately 10.05 ounces)
Measurements and weight are approximate. Individual keys may vary THE LEGENDARY FRENCH LICK SPRINGS HOTEL
Located in the historic resort town of French Lick, Indiana, the French Lick Springs Hotel is among America’s most recognizable grand resort properties.
Its history reaches back to the nineteenth century, when southern Indiana’s mineral springs attracted visitors seeking relaxation, recreation, and luxurious accommodations.
During the early twentieth century, French Lick became a celebrated destination for prominent guests, vacationing families, conventions, and travelers from across the country.
The hotel’s grand architecture, lavish interiors, and remarkable history have made it an enduring symbol of America’s golden age of resort travel.
These keys represent a tangible connection to the everyday operation of this extraordinary property.
Unlike modern reproductions or souvenir keys, these are historic Russwin hotel keys with individual identification markings, distinct bit configurations, and evidence of prolonged use.
Their reported survival through the closing of the hotel’s former locksmith shop makes the collection especially REMARKABLE LOCKSMITH-SHOP PROVENANCE
I acquired these ten keys in October 2026 from an individual who identified himself as the resort’s Director of Golf and reported approximately fifty years of employment at the property.
During our correspondence, he explained that he had originally acquired more than one hundred hotel keys when the French Lick Springs Hotel’s locksmith shop closed in the late 1970s.
He stated that most of those keys had been sold approximately twenty years earlier and that he subsequently rediscovered additional examples while cleaning out his shed.
I initially acquired key 1039 and subsequently purchased the remaining nine keys directly from him.
The ten keys are now being offered together as one collection, preserving their shared ownership history.
Our October 2026 correspondence documents the previous owner’s statements, while the original transactions establish their transfer into my possession.
A PERSONALLY SIGNED STATEMENT OF PROVENANCE IS INCLUDED
The purchaser will receive my signed statement describing:
• The previous owner’s reported association with French Lick Resort
• His account of obtaining the keys from the former hotel locksmith shop
• Their reported preservation in his private ownership
• Their acquisition by me in October 2026
• My personal connection to French Lick and West Baden Springs
The locksmith-shop origin is based on the previous owner’s firsthand account and has not been independently verified through original hotel inventory records.
The letter will accompany the collection and is intended to preserve its known history for future ESTIMATED AGE — CIRCA 1925–1949
These keys are believed to date approximately to the 1925–1949 period, based on their style and construction, historical context, research, and information supplied by the previous owner.
When I asked him about their age on October 3, 2026, he replied:
“1930s to late 40s i was told.”
His recollection supports an estimated 1930s–1940s period, while the broader circa 1925–1949 range allows for the possibility of earlier manufacture.
The precise manufacturing dates have not been independently established, and individual keys may have been manufactured at different times.
The stated date range is an informed estimate, not a guarantee of manufacture within those exact CONDITION — AUTHENTIC HISTORICAL CHARACTER
All ten keys are in antique used condition, exhibiting varying degrees of surface wear, oxidation, and patina.
Condition characteristics include:
• Original-looking age-related patina and discoloration
• Areas of oxidation, spotting, and surface deposits
• Scratches, scuffs, and general handling wear
• Differences in surviving surface finish
• Worn and uneven metallic surfaces
• Irregular and overlapping identification stamps on certain examples
Some keys retain relatively bright metallic surfaces, while others display much darker oxidation and wear.
I have NOT cleaned, polished, refinished, or restored any of these keys.
Their existing surface character has been intentionally preserved.
The keys appear substantially intact, but they have not been tested in their original locks. No guarantee of present-day functionality is offered.
They are being sold as historical collectibles.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition PHOTOGRAPHY & PRESENTATION
All photographs were taken outdoors in natural daylight against a neutral woven-fabric background to provide an accurate representation of the keys’ colors, finishes, oxidation, patina, and condition.
The collection has been photographed together, with individual front-and-back photographs documenting each key’s distinctive features.
No cleaning or polishing has been performed to improve their MY PERSONAL CONNECTION TO FRENCH LICK & WEST BADEN
This collection holds special meaning for me because of my family’s longstanding connection to French Lick, Indiana.
My father grew up in French Lick, and my family has enjoyed countless visits and overnight stays at the French Lick Springs Hotel over the years.
I also had the privilege of working on the historic West Baden Springs Hotel during its restoration, including plumbing work associated with Bill Cook’s personal suite.
Having personally worked at one of these extraordinary historic properties, I have a deep appreciation for their architecture, craftsmanship, and preservation.
When the opportunity arose to acquire these keys from a longtime resort employee, I was particularly interested in preserving their history for future collectors.
Additional details are included in the signed provenance statement accompanying the SHIPPING
• Ships same or next business day
• FREE USPS Ground Advantage within the United States
• Fully insured with tracking
• Signature Confirmation REQUIRED upon delivery
• Carefully and securely packaged
• Ships in a sturdy cardboard box — never a bubble INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
• FREE through International Shipping
OR
• USPS Priority Mail International
• Flat rate: $68.95
• Insurance and tracking included
Buyer is responsible for any customs duties, VAT, brokerage fees, tariffs, taxes or other import charges imposed by their OFFERS & RETURNS
All serious offers considered.
All sales are final unless the item has been grossly A FASCINATING PIECE OF AMERICAN RESORT HISTORY
TEN historic French Lick Springs Hotel Russwin keys. NINE numbered examples. ONE remarkable Convention Floor master key. A shared ownership history reaching back to the hotel’s former locksmith shop, according to their previous owner.
Offered together as a single collection, complete with a personally signed statement of provenance.
An exciting opportunity for collectors of French Lick and West Baden history, antique hotel memorabilia, vintage locksmithing equipment, architectural hardware, and American resort history.
Thank you for your interest and for helping preserve a fascinating piece of French Lick Springs Hotel history!
