German Keys (Morsetaste)

An assortment of keys from Germany, which includes keys from Prussia and Austria. Early keys used interesting camelback designs as well as ruggedly-built straight lever designs. In the US, instrument makers stopped making camelbacks in the latter part of the 1800's, but German camelbacks continued to be made into the 20th Century, which often fools collectors into thinking their camelback key is very early when in reality it might have been made in the early 1900's.

(Click on each thumbnail to view the full size image):

Very early Austrian Camelback. Note the Coiled Spring Instead of a Strap Spring Common on Later Keys Rear View of the Austrian Camelback Showing the Spring Very Early German Camelback, Ca. 1860's. Close-up of the Contact & Spring
Small Austrian Camelback Key. Ca. 1870 German Straight Lever Key. 1872 Early German Camelback, Ca. 1870's Early German Cast Iron Camelback
Early German Postal Key. (w1tp.com) Another German Cast Iron Camelback Key Prussian Camelback by Zukriebel, Prague German "I-Beam" Lever Key, Ca. 1880's
Another German I-Beam Key by Gurlt Another I-Beam Key. Maker Unknown One More German I-Beam Key Early German Straight Lever Postal Key
Siemens & Halske Postal Key. 1885 Typical Style of German Date Stamp Showing the Crown Symbol and Date of Oct. 20, 1885 German Strap Key by Groos & Graf, 1898 Early German Straight Lever Postal Key
Siemens & Halske Postal Key With 2 Spring Adjustments Another German Landline Key. Maker Unknown Another Unknown German Landline Key Another Unknown German Landline Key
Early Landline Key by Groos & Graf, 1895 Front View of the Groos & Graf Key Showing the Date Stamp One More Unknown Landline Key Miniature Prussian Camelback Key
Another View of the Miniature Camelback Austrian Camelback Key, Ca. Early 1900's Prussian Camelback Key by Pichler, Ca. Early 1900's Close-Up of the Pichler Nameplate
Camelback Key With Lever Shroud Top View Showing the Lever Shroud German Camelback Key For Demonstration Use. Made by Ferdinand Ernecke, Berlin Demo Camelback 2
Demo Camelback 3 Demo Camelback 4 Demo Camelback 5 Prussian Camelback Key. Ca. Early 1900's
German Postal Style Key That is Actually a Cigar Cutter !! Another View of the Cigar Cutter Key Another Cigar Cutter Key Close-Up of the Cutting Blades
Very Small German Camelback Key Holding the Camelback Key in the Hand to Show its Small Size Another Interesting German Camelback Key Small Cast Iron Camelback. Probably a "dummy" key used for code practice since it has no connections for wires.
Another version of the "dummy" key Unknown Key, Possibly German German Postal Key Another German Postal Key
A Small but Stock German Key. Maker Unknown. Looks Like a Spark Key, but the Contacts are too Small Postal Style Key Used by Line Technicians German Folding Lever Key. Probably Used in Some Sort of Field Telegraph Set Folding Lever Key With Lever Up
Another Folding Lever Key With a Large Power Resistor Attached Under the Base Close-Up of the Large Power Resistor German Postal Style Key With a Circuit Closer, Which Appears to be Original Postal Key With Double Contacts
Another More Elaborate Version of the Double Contact Key Close-Up of the Double Front Contacts Key By Lorenz, Berlin, Taken off a Key & Register Baseboard Set Unknown German or Dutch Key. (PA3EGH Collection)
Postal Key by Gurlt Rear Pivot Camelback Key by Zimmerman, Leipzig Another Camelback Key by Zimmerman. (UA3AO Collection) Key With 2 Sets of Springs For Accurate Tension Adjustment
Another Key with Double Adjustment Springs Key Marked E. Leybold Close-up of Leybold Nameplate Telefunken Type 271a Army Key
Close-up of Name Stamp Military Key With Tall Knob Used in Airplanes. Knob Made it Easier to Handle With Gloves Another German Key With a Tall Knob. Maker Unknown Unknown Key With Tall Binding Posts
WW1 German Army Key Type M-99 by Schuchhardt. 1918 Another Unknown German Military Key Another View of the German Military Key A Small German Key, Possibly From a Field Set. Schuchhardt Type T24. 1928
Another View of the Small German Key Top View of the Key, Showing the Schuchhardt Symbol, Which Consists of an "S" Over an "F", for Ferdinand Schuchhardt Type T1 German Army Key, Ca. 1934 Inside the Type T1 Key
Key & Buzzer Set by Hegra, Ca. 1935 Radio Key by Allei, Ca. 1938 Another View of the Allei Key German Luftwaffe Flameproof Key by BAL. US Navy Type 26003 Key Was Based on This Design
German Army "Maus" Key, Made by TKP. Used by the Luftwaffe as a Training Key The Maus Key With the Cover Open Another Version of the TKP "Maus" Key. This Version Was Used in German Tanks During WW2 The Maus Key With the Cover Open
The Maus Key was Also Made with a Brown Bakelite Cover Telefunken Model T.2. An Aircraft Key Used by German Luftwaffe During WW2 Close-up of the Nameplate on the Telefunken T.2 Inside the Telefunken T.2
The Lorenz Version of the Type T.2 Key Inside the Lorenz Type T.2 Type T 17a German Military Key by MFP Side View of the Type T 17a Key
Inside the Type T 17a The Base of the Type T 17a Key Contains a Noise Suppression Filter Another T 17a Key. This One Made by Lorenz "Upside-Down" Key. Maker Unknown
Other Side of the Upside-Down Key Type TT.1 Key Inside the Type TT.1 Key Close-up of the TT.1 Label
German Luftwaffe Type TG.2a Key. Used on the Dornier "Flying Pencil" Bomber Inside the TG.2a Key WW2 German Army Key by Hans Widmaier, Munich Inside the Widmaier Key
Junker Army Key With Cover Inside the Junker Key Junker Key With Leg Mount Unknown German Military Key
Small German Military Key. Maker Unknown. Probably Used in a Military Field Set German Luftwaffe Type TG.5a Flameproof Key Inside the Flameproof Key Another Luftwaffe Flameproof Key
Inside the Luftwaffe Key Telefunken Type ZTK-129 Army Key Inside the Telefunken Key Telefunken Type FuG7
The Telefunken FuG7 With the Cover Removed Unknown German Military Key Top View of the German Military Key German Radio Key by Paul Gottschalk, Munich
Close-Up of the Gottschalk Nameplate East German Army Type MT-50 by Funkwerk Kopernick Close-up of the Funkwerk Kopernick Key. "Enstort" Means the Key Has an interference Suppression Filter Inside the MT-50 Key
East German Army Key Inside the East German Key Unknown German Army Key East German Army Key By EGB, Leipzig
Inside the EGB Key EGB Label East German FME-33 Sideswiper by Jablonsky Unknown Key With Switch. Similar to Danish Amplidan Keys
Inside the German Key With Switch Hannes Bauer Straight Key Unknown German Key With Blue Hammertone Finish Another View of the Blue-Base Key
Top View of the Blue-Base Key A German Key Commemorating 500 Years of Postal Service Top View of the German Commemorative Key Recently Made Key by Morserholz

 

 

 

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