Harold Kramer/WJ1B

   This key was used by Western Union (W.U.)for landline telegraphy. It is an oval shaped solid brass straight key with a black standard knob and a shorting bar on the left. It is mounted on wooden board, as purchased. The rear of the key is marked: “Legless 2-A W.U. Tel. Co.” The shorting bar is marked: “Chas. Cory and Son.” Chas. Cory was a manufacturer of keys and other communications instruments located in New York, New York.

   This Model 6B is one of the smallest actual operating straight keys. It was made by Bunnell Co. for Western Electric. It is about 2" long. It was used in telegraphy test gear in multiples of four for meter bridge testing. This key was built in the early 60s, and spent its working life in the Gila Bend, Arizona. Because of its small size, it is often advertised as a "spy" key!

   This is a Spies Polechanger Key, made by Spies Electric Works in Chicago.  It was used by Western Union for testing telegraph lines of different polarities. The lever is made of steel and the key has a heavy duty black plastic base. There is a three position SPDT switch on the base that selects the polarity of the line.

   This heavy duty brass key was called the "Standard Wireless Key." Many keys with this design were made from the 1920s to the 1970s. They were originally designed for keying the high current primaries of spark transmitters. The contacts are 1/4" diameter that makes this the model R-63. The key's base is embossed with the following text: SIGNAL ELECTRIC MFG, CO. MENOMINEE, MICH.

    This is a custom built, wood base, brass straight key that is approx 5" x 2” 3/4".  The letters "GELB" are stamped or cut into the base. The lever has a brass mounting bracket and brass binding posts. It has an unconventional contact arrangement with the tension adjustment acting as electrical contact. This key is very unusual and it is probably a pre-1900 key. Tom Perera dates it around 1881.

   This is a brass straight key with a steel lever. It has two legs for desk mounting.  Bakelite knob. "W.U. TEL CO" stamped on one side of base. ELECTRICAL DEPT N H C CO." stamped on the other side (see photo). It was manufactured by the New Haven (Connecticut) Clock Company sometime between 1880 and 1890.

   A straight key with a triumph lever. It has a brass body and legs with a brass shorting bar, steel lever and a black plastic knob. It has two "legs" that extend downward with threads and wing nuts for mounting on a table. The "legs" are also the electrical terminals. These were commercial telegraph keys used by organizations such as railroads or newspapers.  Scott KBØNLY identified this key, "So far Signal Electric is the only one that I can find that made it exactly like that.  There are a few with some small variations, mainly the shape of the shorting lever knob is different or the wing nuts are different, but that one is definitely Signal Electric in origin."