Bastille Key Paperweight

This finely crafted cast iron paperweight is a scaled reproduction of the Key to the Bastille—one of Mount Vernon’s most cherished artifacts. In 1790, the Marquis de Lafayette sent the original key to George Washington as a tribute to liberty and their shared revolutionary ideals. It has remained on display at Mount Vernon for over 200 years.

The Key has remained at Mount Vernon for 200 years, prominently displayed in its original wood and glass case in the Mansion’s central passage. In a letter that accompanied the key, Lafayette wrote with heartfelt emotion, “Give me leave, my dear General, to present you with the main key to the fortress of despotism. It is a tribute which I owe as a son to my adoptive father, as an aide de camp to my General, as a missionary of liberty to its patriarch.” The original key was delivered to General Washington by Thomas Paine.

Details:

• Materials: Cast iron
• Finish: Dark antique patina
• Size: Approximately 7″ long
• Weight: 1 lb.
• Made in: USA
• Use: Decorative, collectible, or paperweight