THIS  KEY WAS (AND IS) USED BY THE FIRE DEPARMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK(FDNY).

IT IS MARKED "THE YALE AND TOWNE MFG. CO." IT IS THEIR MODEL 1620 AND WAS COMMONLY REFERED TO IN THE FDNY AS A 1620 KEY.THE COMPANY KNOWN AS YALE & TOWNE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN 1963. THE COMPANY'S ASSETS CHANGED HANDS A FEW TIMES AND NOW RESIDE IN A  SWEDISH LOCK AND HARDWARE COMPANY.

   ALSO ILLUSTRATED IN THIS LISTING IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS, YALE AND TOWNE. ALSO ILLUSTRATED IS A PORTION OF THE CHART OF THE TELEGRAPH BUREAU OF THE FDNY SHOWING THE KEY STYLE IN USE IN THE DEPARTMENT IN 1948  (MAY 4, 1948 THE DATE OF THE CHART)

    THIS PARTICULAR STYLE KEY APPEARS AS FAR BACK AS THE 1920'S IN THE PRODUCT CATALOGS OF YALE & TOWNE. THE 1620  IS STILL USED IN THE FDNY FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS.

   AGAIN, THIS KEY IS NOT A REPRODUCTION OR REPLICA. IT DATES BACK TO AT LEAST 1963 AND PROBABLY WAY BEFORE THAT.

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   THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST.