This is one of a collection of some 650 decorative brass furniture mounts, mostly dating from the 19th century, which were presented to the Museum by the firm of brass-founders, Cope & Timmins, in 2001. Many of the mounts are in styles that date from the late 18th century, but are impossible to date precisely since the same patterns continued to be in use for many years. They remained in manufacturer's stock and during the 19th century some of the styles periodically came back into fashion. However, the design of this key-plate, decorated with interlaced ribbons, probably originated in the 19th century.

Cope & Timmins was established soon after 1900 from two much older firms, Cope & Collinson (based in London since at least the 1840s) and Clarke & Timmins (who had premises in both London and Birmingham in the 19th century). In the second half of the 18th century Birmingham and London became the two principal centres of the ornamental metal-working industries, making locks, hinges, handles and decorative mounts for furniture, among many other products--all of which were widely exported.