Antique c.1930s French Lick Springs Hotel Room 1027 RUSSWIN Skeleton Key 3-1/2” For Sale

🗝️ ANTIQUE RUSSWIN FRENCH LICK SPRINGS HOTEL ROOM 1027 KEY

French Lick, Indiana • c. 1925–1949 (Estimated)

PLEASE READ — THIS LISTING IS FOR ONE KEY ONLY.

You are purchasing the original antique Russwin French Lick Springs Hotel key numbered 1027, shown individually in photographs 1, 2 and 3.

Photographs 4 and 5 show the original ten-key collection for reference only. The other nine keys are NOT included in this purchase and are offered separately, subject to availability.

A personally signed letter of provenance is included with this ABOUT THIS KEY

This distinctive antique skeleton/bit key features a clover-shaped head with the following inscription on the front:

FRENCH LICK reverse is prominently stamped:

1027

Unlike most of the other numbered keys in the original collection, Room 1027 has its identifying number stamped on the reverse of the head rather than alongside the hotel identification.

This interesting difference is clearly visible in the photographs. The reason for the reverse-side numbering is unknown.

The key retains areas of brighter silver-gray metal contrasting with darker oxidation and age-related patina.

ROOM NUMBER 1027 — SPA WING

The French Lick Springs Hotel’s four-digit room-numbering system identifies different sections of the resort, with numbers beginning with 1 associated with the Spa Wing, 2 with the Spring Wing, and 3 with the Garden Wing.

Based on this numbering convention, Room 1027 would have been associated with the hotel’s historic Spa Wing.

This interpretation is consistent with information I personally received decades ago from elderly individuals familiar with the hotel’s history, as well as accounts of the resort’s room-numbering system.

Although the numbering convention is supported by these accounts, an original period room directory confirming this particular room’s location has not yet been located.

Approximate dimensions:

• Length: 3-1/2 inches

• Width: 1-1/4 inches across the clover-shaped head

Measurements are HISTORY & PROVENANCE

I acquired this key in October 2026 as part of a collection of ten historic Russwin keys associated with the French Lick Springs Hotel in French Lick, Indiana.

The previous owner identified himself as the resort’s Director of Golf and reported approximately fifty years of employment at the property.

He explained that he had obtained more than one hundred hotel keys when the resort’s locksmith shop closed in the late 1970s.

According to his account, he sold most of those keys approximately twenty years earlier and later rediscovered additional examples while cleaning out his shed.

I initially purchased one numbered room key and subsequently acquired the remaining nine keys, including this Room 1027 example, directly from him.

His account is preserved in our original October 2026 correspondence. The reported locksmith-shop origin has not been independently verified through hotel inventory records.

A personally signed letter of provenance documenting this history and my acquisition of the collection will accompany the ESTIMATED AGE

Circa 1925–1949 (Estimated)

When asked about the keys’ age, the previous owner stated that he had been told they dated from the 1930s through the late 1940s.

The broader 1925–1949 range reflects an estimated historical period rather than a verified manufacturing date.

The exact age of this individual key has not been MY PERSONAL CONNECTION TO FRENCH LICK

French Lick, Indiana, has a special place in my family’s history.

My father grew up in French Lick, and my family and I have enjoyed numerous visits and overnight stays at the historic French Lick Springs Hotel.

I also had the privilege of working on the restoration of the magnificent West Baden Springs Hotel, including plumbing work associated with Bill Cook’s personal suite.

Because of that personal connection, I have a deep appreciation for the history of both resorts and wanted to preserve the story accompanying these keys.

Each key from the original collection is being offered individually, with its own signed statement of CONDITION

Original antique used condition with visible surface wear, scratches, discoloration, oxidation, and age-related patina.

The front retains substantial areas of brighter silver-gray metal, with scattered spotting and wear. The shaft and bit exhibit darker oxidation and surface discoloration.

The hotel and Russwin markings remain clearly legible. The reverse displays the stamped room number 1027, along with scratches, darker surface wear, and oxidation.

The key appears structurally intact, with no obvious breaks or missing sections visible in the photographs.

I have not cleaned, polished, refinished, or restored this key. Its existing surface character has been intentionally preserved.

The key has not been tested in its original lock. Functionality is not guaranteed.

Please examine photographs 1 and 2 carefully, as they show the actual key being offered and form an important part of the condition SHIPPING

• Ships same or next business day

• FREE USPS Ground Advantage within the United States

• Fully insured with tracking

• 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: $48.95

• Insurance and tracking included

Buyer is responsible for any customs duties, VAT, brokerage fees, tariffs, taxes or other import charges imposed by their COMBINED SHIPPING

Purchasing more than one key? Multiple eligible purchases from the same buyer will be securely packaged and shipped together whenever possible, at no additional shipping charge within the United States.

PLEASE NOTE: Immediate payment is required for each Buy It Now purchase. You may purchase multiple keys separately, and I will combine eligible orders into one carefully packaged shipment whenever possible. All domestic shipping is RETURNS

All sales are final unless the item has been grossly you for your interest in this fascinating piece of American resort history!