Telegraph key (Morse key)
A telegraph key is a manually operated electrical contact for sending telegraphic signals. Morse telegraphy uses short and long signals to encode characters, giving rise to the common term Morse key. The key should be distinguished from the receiving instrument that reproduces or records the signals.
Wired and wireless telegraphy
The tool is not restricted to one setting. Science Museum Group records a European telegraph key from the second half of the nineteenth century. Oxford's History of Science Museum also displays a Morse key used in Marconi's wireless experiments around 1900. An isolated example cannot therefore automatically be described as maritime, railway or military equipment.
Identification and condition
Photograph the complete key, underside, contacts, terminals and every inscription. Record missing components, corrosion and later wiring. A polished brass part or dark base alone establishes neither maker nor age. Assess model, construction and documented history together. Distinguish a single key from a complete telegraph station. Appearance alone cannot establish working condition, and any functional test should be recorded as a separate examination.
