Preliminary identification
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Overview
A classic scalloped leather room key fob from one of Chicago's most storied Jazz Age hotels, featuring deep-stamped room number 610 and silver-foil lettering. The fob is accompanied by a period-correct steel key, representing a tactile era of hospitality before the advent of plastic key cards.
Story
The Knickerbocker was the epicenter of Chicago's 1920s glamour, once hosting Al Capone and Hugh Hefner. This key unlocked a room in a building that survived the Prohibition era and the rise of the Magnificent Mile. It is a physical link to the city's golden age of travel.
Maker / Origin
While the specific leather workshop is unnamed, these fobs were typically commissioned from local Chicago industrial leather goods manufacturers who specialized in durable, high-quality hotel supplies during the mid-century travel boom.
Condition & Value
The leather shows a beautiful aged patina with minor edge wear consistent with use. The silver foil lettering remains exceptionally crisp, which is rare as these often rub off over time. This preservation significantly maintains its display value.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.