Remember that chair I picked up from "The Estate Sale With An Old House Tale"? Well, while I was tearing it apart I made a VERY exciting discovery that made my curiosity go wild...
An old skeleton key!
Now I wouldn't be excited about finding a key in a random old piece of furniture, but this is totally NOT a random piece of furniture. Just in case you missed the post about the estate sale where I got the chair- ... The estate sale was at a home in my neighborhood that I have been dying to see the inside of. Even though the home was in rough shape it had all of it's original charm and character- which I hope will remain intact and restored if sold to a new owner.
So imagine how bananas it felt when I started tearing into this chair...
Thinking only about the yucky old fabrics, materials and 'seat garbage' inside only to hear...
"thunk, clink" and looking down to find an old skeleton key. Bananas right?!?
I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head when I saw it!
Like I said, I normally wouldn't think much of such a discovery but it came from that house down the street... that house I already had/have so much curiosity about anyway.
I know that key might not even be for any lock in the house, but I can't help but wonder. Wouldn't you? I don't even know if anyone is living there now, but part of me wants to knock on the door and just pass the key along to whoever is there. I figure they would be curious too?
What would you do with the key?
Turn it into the homeowner?
Do nothing with it?
Any other crazy ideas for this crazy gal?
Let me know what you think I should do. I'm dying for some advice other than Alex telling me to leave it alone :) HA!
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I am just like you with my imagination. I would knock on the door.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely don't leave it alone! At the least you should knock on the door--it can't hurt and you may regret it if you don't. I think it's fascinating that you found it and am coming up with all sorts of stories in my head. I love that you have such a passion for the history of your area!
ReplyDeleteWOW! What if someone hid it there for a reason...I let my imagination run wild too!
ReplyDeleteIt totally reminds me of the book "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" where the son hunts down the source of his father's key. It is such a fun mystery.. and usually the hunt (and all the fantasies you have about where it came from) is more interesting than the truth!
ReplyDeleteWe actually saw that movie a few weeks ago and I thought the same thing! Finding alone has already been pretty fun, it will be interesting to see where things go from here!
DeleteI think you should definitely look into it! The past is so interesting and if someone took the time to conceal it inside the chair then it must be worth looking for! Can't wait for your follow up post on this find!
ReplyDeleteOh, TOTALLY knock! But I'm not sure that I would just turn it over-- if they don't seem interested, I would hang onto it (frame it?), and wait for the next owners. If they don't care, then ask if you can check things out! I would by DYING!!! Thanks for sharing your awesome mystery!
ReplyDeleteOooo like the idea of turning it into art if I don't get to pass it along. Thanks for the idea!
DeleteIt wouldn't hurt to go and knock on the door. Yes they may think "who is this crazy woman " but they maybe like me (and your other followers) and be curious too. I have skeleton key locks on all my doors and NOT ONE KEY! If a previous owner or someone like you knocked on my door, I would be so excited. I do have a collection of skeleton keys and have tried each on every door. I luckily found one that works on my son's bedroom door and , let me tell you, you would have thought I won the lottery I was so excited!
ReplyDeleteYou will regret it if you don't.
I have skeleton key locks on our doors too and have no keys for them, so you have an excellent and logical point here- which I can present if someone answers the door :) then I might not sound as crazy!
DeleteI would sooo go knock! If there was no one there I would see if I could contact the realtor and ask if you could have a look around! Maybe it's to unlock special treasure in a special desk or something hahaha. I certainly wouldn't just hand it over though, I'd ask to be joined in on the hunt! Hehehe it's just so exciting!!
ReplyDeleteYou are totally right, I am still not sure if it is listed but if I see a realtor to contact I totally will!
DeleteI think you found it for a reason...go knocking!! It's too much of a coincidence...you're totally intrigued by the house in the first place, then get a chance to get inside and sneak a peek, and now a mysterious key?! Totally go over there!! It's like the house is trying to tell you something ;) (me and my imagination! lol!) Let us know what you end up doing :)
ReplyDeleteOh geeze, I could only hope it would lead to a longer tour of the house! I didn't get to see the 2nd & 3rd floor that day, that would be awesome!
DeleteIf you end up keeping the key, make a pillow and tie the key (or sew) it on with twine or ribbon so that the key hangs on the center of the pillow. Keep the pillow on the chait...perfect!
DeleteI feel like the bad girl here...I wouldn't return it, I'd turn it into a necklace. How cute would that be?
ReplyDeleteOh! That would be cute AND a fun way to save/ showcase it! I will keep that in mind in case my key mystery doesn't go anywhere :) I think I have to try though and most likely I will get shot down, so it really might end up on a necklace. Thanks for the fun & different idea!
Deletethey won't know any thing about that key, the chair could have come from another estate sale years ago .
ReplyDeleteIt is nice of you to try and return it to the original owners but , well go see
I have done these same things before at estate sales and people acted like I was bothering them with small things . Once I found old letters and compact with notes in them and try to give them back and family didn't want them, so any more I just keep what I find( if I find )
Janice
I know that could totally be true, but I hope not! I guess I'd rather try and find out than never know and always wonder. I can always keep the key if they aren't interested or think I am crazy :)
DeleteSeeing as the house has been in the same family since it was built or shortly thereafter, someone might actually recognize the key. I'd see if you can get in touch with the listing agent. (I may know someone that could help with that and would share that info privately.)
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, what a great piece of art or attach it as art on the chair itself when you are done with it.
Hi Chris, I wonder if the house is listed on MLS yet? I can check today but yes send me any helpful info through email! I'd love to at least try and see if this key belongs anywhere special in that house, isn't is a crazy twist to the story?!?!
DeleteOh, you must do it Carla. We don't have as much long family history down here in Australia as you do in the States, it would be wonderful if it opened some long closed up closet or similar, ala "The Secret Garden"!
ReplyDeleteCarla, In the spirit of the old skeleton key. We, or should I say my wife, took out one of our old mortice door locks and brought it to A Dave's locksmiths on Emerson just north of broadway. My comment was a sarcastic "good luck", and believe it or not they supplied us with a new skeleton key! Our house had been converted to apartments, (6) of them, over the years and we have mortice locks on all of the doors.
ReplyDeleteI vote knock on the door! If they don't share your enthusiasm, repurposing is in order.
If anyone has information about when the house will go on the market, I would love to know. I'm a fellow northsider (victory) and I am very interested--I would love to restore it. I heard a rumor years ago that Carl Eller lives next door.
ReplyDeleteCarla: Im also a fellow Michigander & estate sale/junker nut. I enjoy your blog--keep up the great posts!
Don't forget about the Victory & Camden garage sale June2--
http://www.zeemaps.com/pub?group=361015&list=1
I grew up in an old house and we had those keys. If they still have the doors with the locks it'd be nice to have the key but it really isn't anything special. I don't think the key was hidden in the chair but simply fell into the crack. In other words, at the time, an ordinary key that fell out of a pocket perhaps, just like the gum wrapper (which I also ate as a child.)
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's say, "Solve the mystery!!" HOW FUN!!!
ReplyDelete