An intriguing Medieval/Gothic-period iron key plate originally used on an antique trunk or chest from France. Note the raised designs of the plate including an arched door around the keyhole and columns surrounding. The designs on the plate may be references to the architecture in India. Dating from the twelfth to fifteenth century, authentic antique pieces from the Gothic Period are rare and serve as a reference points in the history of furniture as they are the ancestors of all French furniture that follows. (Example, after trunks, came the invention of commodes!) A brilliant piece for collectors of Medieval or Gothic design history.