Of all the countries producing spark keys, the U.S. clearly had the biggest variety. From the large commercial and navy keys made by Massie Wireless and Marconi, down to the relatively small keys for amateur use made by Bunnell and Signal Electric, there were spark keys for every application.
Below is a large selection of American spark keys, covering the majority of the known manufacturers. Many are quite impressive in both size and style.
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| Early American Marconi Spark Key Patterned After the Early British Marconi Keys |
Close-Up of the American Marconi Nameplate |
Inside the Base of the Key is a Large Filter Capacitor Surrounded by a Sheet of Asbestos |
Spark Key Owned and Used by David Sarnoff, the President of RCA |
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| Side View of David Sarnoff's Key |
Gigantic Massie Wireless Pump Handle Spark Key, Ca. 1905. Only 4 are Known to Exist |
Another View of the Massie Pump Handle Key |
Another Massie Pump Handle at the New England Wireless & Steam Museum, Rhode Island |
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| Several Copies of the Massie Pump Handle Key Were Made by Phil Weingarten and his Machinist Friend Hugo |
Comparison of a Real and Fake Massie Key. The Difference is Obvious |
A Different Model Massie Wireless Key on a Slate Base (Alan Larsen Collection) |
A Copy of the Slate Based Massie Key That was Sold by Sears & Roebuck |
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| Massie Wireless Oil Break Key (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Close-up of the Massie Oil Break Key, Using a California Electrical Works Step Lever Key (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Small Massie Wireless Key for Signal Corps (Antique Wireless Association Museum, E. Bloomfield, NY) |
Unmarked Spark Key With Large Contacts. Possibly Made by Massie Wireless (See Massie Key in Previous Picture) |
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| An 1870's Landline Key by George Bliss Converted to a Spark Key |
Top View of the Converted Bliss Key |
American Marconi Type CM-410 5KW, 50Amp Spark Key, Nicknamed "The Rockcrusher" |
Marconi CM-410 Label |
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| American Marconi CM-408 Relay Key |
Marconi CM-408 Label |
American Marconi SE-86 Flameproof Spark Key |
Another View of the SE-86 |
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| The SE-86 Contact |
The SE-86 Label |
American Marconi Type 205 |
American Marconi Type 217 |
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| American Marconi CM-425 Spark Key |
Another View of the CM-425 |
A Replica of the CM-425 Made by Phil Weingarten |
A Comparison of the Labels of a real CM-425 Spark Key (Top) and the Phil Weingarten Copy (Bottom) |
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| American Marconi "Roadmap" Spark Key on a Slate Base |
Top View of the Marconi Roadmap Key. The Shape of the Contact Strips is What Gives This Key Its Name ! |
The Roadmap Key Was Also Available With a Bakelite Base |
Another Version of the Roadmap Key With Larger Contact for Higher Current |
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| Boston Navy Yard SE-68 Spark Key |
Boston Navy Yard SE-68A Spark Key. Same as the SE-68 Except for the Lever Design |
Boston Navy Yard SE-144 Spark Key. Same Size as the Marconi SE-86 but for Higher Power |
The Contact Inside the SE-144. Much Bigger Than the SE-86 Contact |
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| Boston Navy Yard SE-137B Relay Key |
Another View of the SE-137B Relay Key |
The SE-137B Label |
The Fessenden Wireless Telegraph System Key by NESCO (National Electric Signalling Co.), Philadelphia. NESCO was Owned by Reginald Fessenden |
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| The Fessenden Sending Key by NESCO (National Electric Signalling Co.), Philadelphia |
Another View of the Fessenden Sending Key |
Wireless Specialties Apparatus High Power Spark Key |
Another Version of the Wireless Specialties Apparatus Key |
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| Wireless Specialties Apparatus SE-653 (W2PM Collection) |
Close-Up of the Nameplate on the SE-653 |
Wireless Specialties Apparatus Type QS-5004 With Contact Cooling Fins (Alan Larsen Collection) |
Another Version of the WSA QS-5004 With a Brass Nameplate |
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| Close-Up of the Nameplate on the QS-5004 |
Another QS-5004 Leg Key |
Wireless Specialties Apparatus SE-653 with Emil Simon Antenna Switch |
Close-up of the Antenna Switch Nameplate |
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| Wireless Specialties Apparatus Type QS-503 Light Hand Key |
Wireless Specialties Apparatus CR-675 Flameproof Key With Diaphragm |
Close-up of the Keying Contact and Nameplate |
Close-Up of the Diaphragm on the CR-675 Key |
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| Unmarked Spark Key With Large Contacts. Possibly Wireless Specialties Apparatus |
Another View of the Unmarked Spark Key |
Top View of the Large Unmarked Spark Key |
Clapp-Eastham Marble Based Spark Key. Known as "The Boston Key" |
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| Another View of the Boston Key |
Marble Based Boston Keys Were Availble With 3/8" or 1/2" Contacts |
A Rare Version of the Clapp-Eastham Key With a Diaphragm Around the Contact to Make it Flameproof for Use on Submarines Where Flammable Vapors Were Often Present |
A Close-Up of the Diaphragm on the Clapp-Eastham Key |
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| Bakelite Based Boston Key (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Clapp-Eastham Boston Key Junior |
Another View of the Boston Key Junior |
The Clapp-Eastham "Blitzen" Key |
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| An Unusual Step-Lever Key Believed to be Made by Clark Wireless, Detroit, Mich |
The Contacts of the Step-Lever Key Are Rather Small for a Spark Key, so Maybe This Key Was Made for Radio Applications |
Another View of the Clark Wireless Key Showing the Binding Posts, Which Likely Were Taken From an Early Quack Medical Device |
An Early Clark Wireless Drawing From 1906 Clearly Showing the Same Step Lever Key, Although With Larger Contacts |
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| A.W. Bowman Spark Key. Boston, Mass |
Small Spark Key by A.W. Bowman |
US Navy Amplifying Hand Break Key (w1tp.com) |
Another View of the Amplifying Hand Break Key. Note the Auxiliary Keying Contacts |
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| Close-Up of the Auxiliary Keying Contacts |
Label From the Amplifying Hand Break Key |
Kilbourne & Clark SE-1865 Submarine Spark Key. Seattle, 1918 |
Another View of the SE-1865 Key. Note the Key Has a 3rd Leg for an Auxiliary Contact |
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| Side View of the SE-1865 Showing the Auxiliary Contact |
Kilbourne & Clark SE-68. Seattle, Wash. |
Kilbourne & Clark Type A Spark Key, Ca. 1911 |
Another View of the Type A Spark Key |
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| Kilbourne & Clark Type C Spark Key, Ca. 1914 |
Top View of the Kilbourne & Clark Type C Key Showing the Unusual Base Which Has a Cut-Out to Fit in Front of a Receiver |
Kilbourne & Clark 1/2 KW Flameproof Key. 1918 |
Kilbourne & Clark Balanced Hand Key, Amateur Model. 1920 |
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| Kilbourne & Clark Balanced Hand Key, Commercial Model. 1920 |
Large Contact Key by Kilbourne & Clark. Seattle, Wash. Ca. 1920 |
Wm. Duck Overland Spark Key, 5 Amp Version |
Wm. Duck Overland Spark Key, 10 Amp Version |
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| Wm. Duck Overland Spark Key, 20 Amp Version (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Lowenstein Radio SE-68 (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Lowenstein Radio Type CL-462 Spark Key |
Another View of the Lowenstein Key |
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| Lowenstein Radio SE-1579 Key & Buzzer Set |
F.B. Chambers Spark Key, Philadelphia |
Another View of the F.B. Chambers Key |
Another Spark Key by F.B. Chambers |
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| Chambers Name Stamped on the Base |
Wm. J. Murdock Spark Key, Chelsea Mass. |
Another View of the Murdock Spark Key |
Adams-Morgan Spark Key. Upper Montclair, New Jersey |
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| A Smaller, Oval Based Spark Key by Adams-Morgain |
Another View of the Adams Morgan Key Showing the AMCO Name Stamp |
Independent Wireless Type K-1 Spark Key |
Emil Simon CE-693 Flameproof Key |
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| Another Version of the Emil Simon Key With a Reddish Base |
Electro Importing Co. (E.I.Co), New York |
Another View of the E.I.Co. Key Showing the Name Stamp |
E.I.Co. Also Made a Version of the Spark Key With a Milk Glass Base (Alan Larsen Collection) |
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| Another View of the E.I.Co. Milk Glass Key Showing the Name Cast Into the Base |
Eastern Precision Electrical Spark Key. Rockville Centre, NY |
MESCO "Heavy Wireless Key" |
Large Spark Key by MESCO, Type CAM-1189. Made for US Navy, 1918 |
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| Top View of the MESCO Key |
View of the Nameplate and Large 5/8" Diameter Contacts |
Lowenstein Radio SE-923 Spark Key |
Liberty Electric SE-923 Spark Key |
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| Boston Navy Yard SE-923 Spark Key |
Liberty Electric SE-68 (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
United Wireless Spark Key (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Another United Wireless Key With Legs and a Nameplate |
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| Close-Up of the United Wireless Nameplate |
Washington Navy Yard Type A Spark Key |
General Radio Type CAG-457 Spark Key (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
General Radio Type 151 Flameproof Key |
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| Another View of the Type 151 Key |
Edgecomb-Pyle Spark Key, Pittsburgh PA |
Another View of the Edgecomb-Pyle Key |
Electro-Set Spark Key |
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| Another View of the Electro-Set Key |
Marble Based Spark Key by RECO (Radio Engineering Co.) Baltimore, Md. |
Close-Up of the RECO Name |
Federal Telegraph SE-858 Flameproof Key. Very Similar to the Wireless Specialties Apparatus SE-653 |
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| A Large Federal Telegraph Spark Key, Type 45043. San Francisco, CA (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Close-Up of the Federal Type 45043 Nameplate |
A Large Federal Telegraph Key Used With Poulson Arc Transmitters. San Francisco, CA (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Close-Up of the Federal Poulson Nameplate |
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| A View of Both Large Federal Keys Together |
Federal Telegraph Type 496 |
Federal Telegraph Type CT-1474 |
Federal Telegraph Type CT-1576 |
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| Close-Up of the Federal CT-1576 Showing the ID Plate |
Size Comparison of the CT-1574 and CT-1576 |
Radio Blinker Signal Set by Frank Perry & Sons. Newton Center, Mass |
Close-Up of the Nameplate on the Perry Set |
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| The Instruction Plate on the Perry Set. Also Had a Buzzer in Addition to the Blinker Light |
Another Perry Set With a Different Lever Design |
The Long Lever Version of the Perry Blinker Set |
The Bunnell Version of the Perry Buzzer Blinker Set |
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| Front View of the Bunnell Buzzer Blinker Set |
Signal Electric Model R-62 Spark Key. Menominee, Michigan. Uses 3/16" Contacts |
Signal Electric Model R-63 Spark Key. Uses 1/4" Contacts |
Signal Electric Model R-64 Spark Key. Uses 3/8" Contacts |
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| Signal Electric Model R-66 Marble-Based Spark Key. |
An Unusual American Oil-Break Key by Robertson Clock & Instrument Co, Detroit, Mich. Ca. 1921 (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
Another View of the Robertson Oil-Break Key |
Type SE-1443 Flameproof Key |
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| The SE-1443 (Bottom) and SE-1443-A (Top) Flameproof Keys |
This is the Type 26000 Navy Version of the Army SE-1443 |
Aircraft Flameproof Key Type SE-4015. Adams-Morgan. Upper Montclair, NJ. Ca. 1918. Very Similar to the SE-1443 |
Close-Up of the SE-4015 Nameplate |
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| Unknown Maker Large Contact Spark Key |
Another View of the Unknown Maker Key |
Another Unknown Maker Spark Key |
Tri-City "Cootie Key" Wireless Sideswiper. Rock Island, Illinois. (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) |
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| McIntosh Electric Spark Key, Chicago. Ca. 1922 |
McIntosh Also Made This Key That Was Part of a Diathermy Machine. Not a Spark Key |
JH Bunnell Wireless Sideswiper |
Another View of the Bunnell Wireless Sideswiper |
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| JH Bunnell Bakelite Based Spark Key With Auxiliary Contact |
JH Bunnell Marble Based Spark Key |
Another View of the Bunnell Marble Based Spark Key |
Comparison of the Bunnell Key with the Clapp-Eastham Spark Key |
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| JH Bunnell Push-Post Spark Key |
Another View of the Bunnell Push-Post Key |
Bunnell Push-Post Key Includes a Tool For Adjusting the Height of the Lower Contact |
Smaller Bunnell Bakelite Based Spark Key |
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| Brass-Based Bunnell Spark Key (Lower Current Model) |
Brass-Based Bunnell Spark Key (Medium Current Model) |
Nickel Plated Brass-Based Bunnell Spark Key (High Current Model) |
JH Bunnell Triumph-Style Spark Key |
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Close-up of the Contact on the Bunnell Triumph-Style Spark Key |
Flameproof Key from the BC-9-A Receiver/Transmitter Set. National Electric Co. Wash. DC. 1927 |
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