Private Collection: Keys, Detex Watchclock Corporation

Watchclock's were a mechanical device security guards would carry when they would walk their around and through the building they were guarding. The key's to the watchclocks would be located at each station with a number assigned to the key. The guard would insert the key into the watchclock which had a cardboard or paper disk or strip in it. When the key was turned the disk or paper strip would be stamped with the station number and time.

The mechanical watchclocks have been discontinued in favor of electronic and computer

The original owner of these keys was a security guard for Westclox, located in La Salle/Peru, Illinois, in the early to mid 1960's. The original owner moved to Michigan in the late 1960's and then to central Iowa in the mid 1970's.

These keys are now in a private collection in NW Iowa.

Previous articles in the series:

Private Collection: Kodak Partytime Instant Camera

Private Collection: Kiwi Shoe Server Kit

Private Collection: 1930's Listerine Bottle

Private Collection: The New Orpheum 80th Anniversary Commemorative Merlot Bottle

Private Collection: Fat's Inagural Great Beer Ride Across Iowa Bottle

Private Collection: Odell Brewing and Boulevard Brewing Companies Silver Anniversary Bottle

Private Collection: 2012 Model A Day Lager Bottle

Private Collection: c.1961 Motorola Record Player

Private Collection: California Raisin

Private Collection: Bedtime Bert

Private Collection: Idora Beaute Container

Private Collection: Standard Bearings Bottle Top

Private Collection: Vintage J. R. Watkins Menthol Camphor Container

Private Collection: Moosehaven, Florida Anniversary Plate

Private Collection: 1960 Coronado Dog Tax

Private Collection: Barley Dog Tag

Private Collection: Glenwood Safety Patrol Badge

Private Collection: 1964 Journeyman Plumber Coin

Private Collection: 1961 Park Forest Dog License

Private Collection: Langridge Drugs Tiny Bond

Private Collection: 1970's Baby Cloth Diaper Safety Pin

Private Collection: Midge Toy Die Cast Car

Private Collection: Cub Scouts 50th Anniversary Mug

Private Collection: Vintage Monopoly Game Piece

Private Collection: Rengo Obesity Treatment Box Lid

Private Collection: Air Way Auto Compass

Private Collection: Norlund Ice Cleat

Private Collection: 1970's Hy-Vee Sugar Free Root Beer Can

Private Collection: Outers No. 444 Gunslick Gun Cleaning Solvent

Private Collection: Taber's Floex Metal Gasket Cement Bottle

Private Collection: Matchbook, Elliott Lumber and Coal

Private Collection: Matchbook, The Tiki

Private Collection: Matchbook, The Tin Cup Restaurant, El Mirador Cocktail Lounge, and Hotel Francis

Private Collection: Matchbook, Turn Style

Private Collection: Matchbook, Baker Auto Parts

Private Collection: Matchbook, Union Bank

Private Collection: 1930's to 1940's Hamms Beer Can

Private Collection: 1930's to 1940's Stag Beer Can

Private Collection: The Great Muppet Caper Glasses

Private Collection: Smurf Glasses, Smurfette

Private Collection: A&W Dancing Bear Glass

Private Collection: Fly Fishing Reel

Private Collection: 4th Brewing Company Beer Coasters

Private Collection: Twirling Baton

Private Collection: Pipes and Pipe Stand

Private Collection: Depression era Rittenhouse Door Chime

Private Collection: 1960's Ceramic Duck

Private Collection: Vintage Air Pump

Private Collection: Auto Strop Safety Razor

Private Collection: Hemming Reloading Service Ammunition Box

Private Collection: 1984 Chicago Cubs

Private Collection: Late 1950's, Early 1960's Tonka Allied Moving Truck

Private Collection: Schwinn American Advertisement

Private Collection: 1992 Topps Micro Baseball Cards

Private Collection: 1966 Batman Pin

Private Collection: Barilla Plus Souvenir Hacky Sack

Private Collection: Brian Duffy RAGBRAI Cartoon Cube

Private Collection: RAGBRAI Playing Cards

Private Collection: RAGBRAI XXVI, 1998

Private Collection: RAGBRAI XXXVI, 2008 Souvenir

Private Collection: RAGBRAI XXXVIII, 2010 Souvenir

Private Collection: RAGBRAI XLIV, 2006 Souvenir

Private Collection: RAGBRAI XLIII, 2015 Souvenir

Private Collection: 1985 Polish Postage Stamp

Private Collection: Bicycle Poker Chip

Private Collection: Bicycle Tournament Coin

Private Collection: 1972 Munich Olympic Games Cycling Pin

Private Collection: 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games Russian Soviet Cycling Pin

Private Collection: 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games Cycling Pins, Magnet, and Coin

Private Collection: Marineland Pennant

Private Collection: Chicago Cubs 1984 N.L. East Division Champions Pennant

Private Collection: Iowa Cubs Pennant

Private Collection: Orpheum Theater Grand Re-Opening Ticket

Private Collection: USS Arizona Memorial Theater and Ferry Admission Pass

Private Collection: The Plaza Inn Token

Private Collection: Sears Centennial Coin

Private Collection: Softball

Private Collection: Antique Garden Cultivator

Private Collection: U.S. Mailbox Bank

Private Collection: Lincoln-Kennedy Penny
Private Collection: 1975 Iowa State Fair Snoopy Souvenir
Private Collection: Iowa State Capitol Building Copper Roof Material
Private Collection: Drafting Board
Private Collection: Baking Pans
Private Collection: Solar Milk Can
Private Collection: Oil Can
Private Collection: Vintage Water Can
Private Collection: Vintage/Antique Hand Wood Planes
Private Collection: Vintage/Antique Hand Drills
Private Collection: Vintage/Antique Rugol Coping Saw
Private Collection: Vintage/Antique Mitre Box Saw
Private Collection: 1930's to 1940's Marlin Firearms Ranger .22 Caliber Model 36 s-l-lr Rifle
Private Collection: Nash 1960's Nash Sidewalk Surfboard
Private Collection: Norge Wringer/Press Machine
Private Collection: Hiawatha Bicycle Chain Guard
Private Collection: Antique Tool
Private Collection: Aladdin's Castle Token Container's
Private Collection: Aladdin's Castle Token Wrist Pouches
Private Collection: The Automatic Recording Safe Company, LaSalle State Bank, Savings Bank
Private Collection: 1950's Stanhome Ashtray
Private Collection: Vintage Grooming Kit

Private Collection: Vintage Crosby Square Shoe Horn

Private Collection: Matchbook, Navy

Private Collection: Matchbook, LaSalle National Bank

Private Collection: Matchbook, Daniel's Motel

Private Collection: Matchbook, Hunt's Tomato Sauce

Private Collection: Matchbox, Germany Best Western

Private Collection: Matchbox, Logan's Roadhouse

Private Collection: Matchbook, Edward Alflen & Son Inc. Chrysler Dealer

Private Collection: Matchbook, LaSalle Office Supply & Equipment 

Private Collection: Matchbook, Work at Home Mason Shoe Sales Business

Private Collection: Matchbook, Kenmore Stamp Co.

Private Collection: Matchbook, Academy for Home Study

Private Collection: Matchbook, Winston Cigarettes

Private Collection: Matchbook, King Edward Cigarillos

Private Collection: Matchbook, Hamm's Beer

Private Collection: Matchbook, Spring Valley City Bank

Private Collection: Matchbook, Tri-City Hardware & Furniture Co.

Private Collection: Matchbook, Prairie Meadows

Private Collection: Matchbook, L&M Cigarettes

Private Collection: Matchbook, The Hair Loft

Private Collection: Matchbook, Life Insurance Policy
Private Collection: Matchbook, Eureka Saving's and Loa
Private Collection: Matchbook, POW's & MIA's
Private Collection: Matchbook, Hildenbrand's Truck Plaza
Private Collection: Matchbook, Old Timepieces
Private Collection: Matchbook, Peru Motor Company
Private Collection: Burger King Happy Meal Frisbee
Private Collection: 1920's to 1930's Catcher Mitt
Private Collection: Garden Shears
Private Collection: Fleming Bottle & Jug Cutter Kit
Private Collection: 1979 Iowa License Plate
Private Collection: Chamber's Co Belt Buckle
Private Collection: Imperial Hatchet
Private Collection: Tri-Clover Wrench
Private Collection: Kearney Squeezon
Private Collection: First Baseman's Mitt
Private Collection: Matchbook, Kentucky Fried Chicken
Private Collection: Matchbook, Tri-City Hardware
Private Collection: Matchbook, Army & Air Force Exchange Service
Private Collection: Matchbook, First Savings and Loan
Private Collection: Matchbook, True Cigarettes
Private Collection: Matchbook, Decker's Hump Hill's Shoat Rings
Private Collection: New/Old Stock, Eagle Nail It Insulated Staples
Private Collection: New/Old Stock, New/Old Stock, Skotch Wood Joiners
Private Collection: Girl's Roller Skates with Case

Private Collection: Receipts, Piggly Wiggly
Private Collection: Receipts, La Salle Super Market
Private Collection: 1970's/1980's Toy Cap Gun
Private Collection: 1960's The "White Christmas" Tree Stand
Private Collection: Key, W. A. Young, Inc.
Private Collection: Ceramic, Black Steam Locomotive Bookends
Private Collection: 1960's to 1980's Toy Cap Gun
Private Collection: Blank Park Zoo Night Eyes '91 Pin
Private Collection: Des Moines YMCA KODA Day Camp Bag
Private Collection: Tomy Mini Arcade Cosmic Clash Game
Private Collection: Growler, Henry McKenna Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey