Chamberlain's key

Chamberlain's key is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe. Museum description: The Baden chamberlain's key from the time of Grand Duke Ludwig of Baden (1763–1830) still looks like its predecessors from the reign of Grand Duke Karl (1786–1818).

A lion and a winged mythical creature hold a shield surmounted by the prince's hat. Newly added, however, is the initial "L" for Ludwig. The same type of key was later also borne by Grand Duke Leopold of Baden (1790–1852), though—presumably for reasons of thrift—the initials LGB, Leopold Großherzog Baden, were riveted over the old L. Chamberlains belonged to the "Hof-Chargen" [court officers] who served in the immediate presence of the prince.

They had to be of noble birth, look after the chambers, i.e., the prince's private apartments, and were responsible for the orderly conduct of courtly life and the observation of the household and court etiquette. As a sign of their authority of the keys over the movable The museum record gives measurements length: 14.9 cm. These details come from the holding museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.