Big-hat hatpins
Lock and key. A cat key.
What group was this for, if any? A fraternal order or what? Just a brass keyhole shape hatpin?
Howard C. Scharfe and Marjorie Scharfe Hatpin Collection, mystery lock, with separate cat key
Lock. It is flat to the rod, sitting flat on top of it and holding the pin straight out and flat, not in the same line as the rod, like a lollypop, rod 8 1/8", longest at 1 3/8", width 3/8". There are two holes in the bottom part that go through. Then, where you see the curved line, that flat part beneath is recessed by about 1/16" - so, top circle with the asymmetrical ears you can see, is above and out by 1/16". The ears would catch on something if the circle is rotated, it looks like. There is a circular design in the engraved pattern with lines radiating out. The larger center circle is in the center of that design.
Cat key, fits odd lock shape with it, hatpin pair
The Cat. Now, add the second pin - a match in style, but their meaning? Still looking. Meet the Mystery Cat. Rod 8 1/4". This one also protrudes out for the head, then there is the lower area, flat also but on a different plane.
Hold them both at an angle. The large hole on the Cat aligns with the small hole on the lock-looking shape above; and the small hole on the Cat aligns with the large hole on the Lock thing.
Looks rather Cheshire. Do an Images search, but ours has a more subdued cat-half-smile; and the cat does not disappear.
Lock and key. A cat key.
What group was this for, if any? A fraternal order or what? Just a brass keyhole shape hatpin?
Howard C. Scharfe and Marjorie Scharfe Hatpin Collection, mystery lock, with separate cat key Lock. It is flat to the rod, sitting flat on top of it and holding the pin straight out and flat, not in the same line as the rod, like a lollypop, rod 8 1/8", longest at 1 3/8", width 3/8". There are two holes in the bottom part that go through. Then, where you see the curved line, that flat part beneath is recessed by about 1/16" - so, top circle with the asymmetrical ears you can see, is above and out by 1/16". The ears would catch on something if the circle is rotated, it looks like. There is a circular design in the engraved pattern with lines radiating out. The larger center circle is in the center of that design.
Cat key, fits odd lock shape with it, hatpin pairThe Cat. Now, add the second pin - a match in style, but their meaning? Still looking. Meet the Mystery Cat. Rod 8 1/4". This one also protrudes out for the head, then there is the lower area, flat also but on a different plane.
Hold them both at an angle. The large hole on the Cat aligns with the small hole on the lock-looking shape above; and the small hole on the Cat aligns with the large hole on the Lock thing.
Looks rather Cheshire. Do an Images search, but ours has a more subdued cat-half-smile; and the cat does not disappear.
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