In the late 1960s, Barron Hilton of Hilton Hotels pursued the idea of hotels in orbit or on the moon (as discussed previously HERE). Around that time, Hilton Hotels apparently produced a little PR gimmick in the form of a “Lunar Hilton” room key. This was a transitional design, shaped similar to a standard mechanical door lock key, it didn’t have the teeth used to position tumbled, but instead had the small holes that would be later used on plastic keycards. It appear that at least two types of these keys were produced… a stamped metal key with wood inlay, and an injection-molded or machined plastic key with wood “stickers.” Same basic configuration. These may have been produced in order to piggyback publicity for “2001: A Space Odyssey.” They certainly seem like they would have fit in with the design aesthetic of the film… futuristic, but firmly based in 1960’s tech.
The design of the plastic key seems easy enough to replicate in CAD. Might there be a market for replicas? Perhaps something for 3D printing at Shapeways?
