Telegraph keys are electrical switches used to send messages in code. The message travels as a series of electrical pulses through a wire. The exact method of operating this automatic double-current key is unknown at this time. The key may have been used in laboratory experiments at King's College in London investigating submarine telegraph signaling.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.