Primitive man made his first attempt at safeguarding personal property when he rolled a boulder in front of his cave. As civilization developed, he looked for more cosmic security concepts an ended up casting magic spells over the cave portal.

The boulder, he discovered to his chagrin, kept strangers away much more effectively than spells. Back to the drawing board.

Egyptians offered their solution eons later about 2000 BC, with the world's first key-operated locking devices. To their delight, it was both more convenient than a boulder or fire and more effective than magic spells.

Comparing the oldest types of locks and keys known to us with those used up to the period of the Middle Ages, it must be said that since the time of the ancient Romans an Greeks these safety devices have undergone hardly any changes in design, construction or finish. In fact it was not until the early apart of the medieval period that the social developments in Germany had their influence also on the technique of the locks and keys and it is for this reason the Middle Ages may rightly be called the second important period of the technical development of the lock and key.

The expert smith devoted himself not only to the manufacture of hinges and ornamental iron work for doors but also to the production of lock and keys, and it is evident that this all round sense of beauty was extended t and reflected tin the artistic design of those locks and keys; in fact it was the smiths strong leaning toward artistic design that in fact that proved detrimental to the security and practical size of the product.

A good number of locks and keys of those days have been collected by The Lock Museum of Orange County and may be considered lasting witness of the exquisite taste and high craftsman ship of that and many other periods.