How to tell if furniture is old?

Thank you for your interest in Minks Emporium services.  We thoroughly enjoy helping people who have searched to find a key to operate the lock in their grandmother’s cabinet or in a special piece of furniture.  We share their excitement when they finally are able to get a functioning custom key after years without a functioning key.  Many antique pieces simply have an open space where a lock was once mounted.  Our selections of locks provide the capability to add a functioning lock back into the piece.

Furniture Lock and Skeleton Key Definitions

Sometimes it is difficult to discern a true antique piece of furniture.  A piece that is more than 100 years old.  There are a few things that even a beginner can look for to help determine the age of furniture.  The dovetail joints of pieces made before modern machines were hand cut.  So, they are not even and perfect.  Over the years, dovetails and other jointing changed.  Some old pieces have very small dovetails with a gap followed by another thin dovetail; this is another characteristic of being hand cut.  A piece containing pressed wood anywhere is an indicator of newer production.  

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Minks Emporium Skeleton Key Replacement

Contact us about our products including Minks Emporium furniture restoration products, Minks Emporium skeleton key replacement, home accessories, home decor, or unique interior design products.

Below are few definitions that you might find helpful in navigating lock and key jargon.

Foot or Bit -  the tab at the end of the key.

Head - the handle portion of the key.

Shaft - the portion of the key that can be inserted into the lock mechanism.

Throw - the distance from center of shaft to end of foot.

Ward - the notch or slot in the foot of a key.

Lock Definitions

Full Mortise - A locks that fits into a pocket with only the face of the lock being visible.

Half Mortise - A lock that fits in a notch with the back and face of the lock visible.

Flush Mount - A locks mount flat onto the surface.

Tongue - the tab that extends to perform the locking action between two surfaces.

Face - the tongue side of the lock.

Minks Emporium

Pasadena, TX, United States

We offer Minks Emporium furniture restoration products including furniture hardware and wood and marble cleaners

Minks Emporium skeleton key replacement adds value to your antique pieces missing their long lost key.

E-mail: CustServ@MinksEmporium.com