Looking for some creative ideas to display antique vintage keys....

How about a shadow box?

Hi Gail, I immediately thought of using chicken wire on a frame to hang the keys from like some people do with jewelry!

Maybe a type of mobile or wind chime with some of them.

The two ways you already mentioned are ones I have considered. Depending on the fanciness of the keys you could back them with a doily or piece of lace in a shadow box frame. Or some black velvet. You could also try pairing them with photos that show what the key might have fit.

Hello! Here are some unique ideas for using all those keys! Click on the link below to view a YouTube video that shows 10 ideas. Good luck!

My mom used mostly 8x10 frames and used everything from burlap to velvet to glue them to. She always used elmers glue so that if she wanted to change the baking or the color, she would just soak them in water and they would come off. She would group them in some kind of arrangement on the wall in the downstairs family room and also included frames that had coins and others with belt buckles and other things so that it wasn't just keys.