Wedding Key – Openwork Key With Heart Motif And Wedding Rings – Haute époque

Period: Late 16th - Early 17th century Origin: France This wrought iron wedding key is a magnificent witness to the wedding traditions of the Ancien Régime. Offered by the groom to his wife on the wedding day, it symbolized the entry into their new life together. By accepting this key, the young woman received the privilege of opening the door to the marital home, thus marking her central role in the management of the home. Description: • Material: Wrought iron, beautiful old patina. • Shape: Openwork ring decorated with a stylized heart and intertwined wedding rings, symbols of union, fidelity and marriage. • Bit: Elaborate, designed for a reinforced lock, emphasizing the importance of the place it secured. • Condition: Beautiful old patina with some traces of use, but solid structure and perfectly readable in its details. A Symbolic Wedding Ritual In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, this key was much more than just a utilitarian object: • It represented the wife's passage to her new status, symbolically entrusting her with access to and management of the home. • The key-giving ceremony embodied both the husband's authority and recognition of the woman's role in domestic organization. • An object of both ceremony and function, carefully crafted by master locksmiths, testifying to the status of the couple and the importance of marriage at that time. Condition: Beautiful old patina, some traces of use, but the key remains a rare and refined example of bridal locksmithing. Dimensions: Length: 12.5 cm Shipping: Fast and secure shipping via DHL Express, ensuring that this unique and characterful piece arrives in optimal condition.