Is this an 18th century lock?

Merlin

Greetings all from the new guy.

I recently acquired this lock, reportedly coming from St. Augustine Florida, the oldest city in the US.

Curious as to origin and date. It seems very similar to other pictures for 18th century locks.

Questions and comments welcomed.

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

Merlin wrote
Greetings all from the new guy.

I recently acquired this lock, reportedly coming from St. Augustine Florida, the oldest city in the US.

Curious as to origin and date. It seems very similar to other pictures for 18th century locks.

Questions and comments welcomed.

It is my experience that the more ornate they are, these stock locks are older than less ornate versions. Because of the brass escutcheon and the iron trim on the other side I would guess your lock to have been assembled right around 1700.
BBE.

[unknown]

Tom Gordon

BBE wrote
It is my experience that the more ornate they are, these stock locks are older than less ornate versions. Because of the brass escutcheon and the iron trim on the other side I would guess your lock to have been assembled right around 1700.
BBE.

There are a range of odd things that I dont understand -no doubt due to its country of origin -
How were 2 bolts operated by one key? I have never seen that on a stock lock.
The keyhole shape seems too short.
Looking at the cutout steel, I wonder if the wood is very warped or if the decoration originally wasnt made for that lock, as it doesnt seem to fit properly.
If this were in the UK then I would have struggled to answer but perhaps plonked for 1870… but this doesnt seem like any of our locks - does it remind anyone of Spanish locks?

[unknown]

Cepasaccus

Perhaps a 2-in-1 lock operated by two keys where one is inserted with stem on top and the other on bottom?

Merlin

Tom Gordon wrote
There are a range of odd things that I dont understand -no doubt due to its country of origin -
How were 2 bolts operated by one key? I have never seen that on a stock lock.
The keyhole shape seems too short.
Looking at the cutout steel, I wonder if the wood is very warped or if the decoration originally wasnt made for that lock, as it doesnt seem to fit properly.
If this were in the UK then I would have struggled to answer but perhaps plonked for 1870… but this doesnt seem like any of our locks - does it remind anyone of Spanish locks?

Great feedback all, and appreciate. The local locksmith went down the path of trying to use one key to open but didn’t have the right stock. While the cutout steel does seem a bit oversize, the nails attaching it seem pretty consistent with some of the others on the device. If it originally fit flush and the wood shrunk over age, wouldn’t this be consistent to what is seen? Does the panel feel strongly that this is definitely pre-1800 ?

[unknown]

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

Tom Gordon wrote
There are a range of odd things that I dont understand -no doubt due to its country of origin -
How were 2 bolts operated by one key? I have never seen that on a stock lock.
The keyhole shape seems too short.
Looking at the cutout steel, I wonder if the wood is very warped or if the decoration originally wasnt made for that lock, as it doesnt seem to fit properly.
If this were in the UK then I would have struggled to answer but perhaps plonked for 1870… but this doesnt seem like any of our locks - does it remind anyone of Spanish locks?

Hi Tom,

The double bolt is unique and from looking at the keyhole I believe that if the pin of a key were inserted in the top part of the hole it would operate the top bolt and if a key pin were inserted in the bottom part of the hole it would operate the bottom bolt. The only reason I can think this would be designed this way is for dual custody.

I have in my collection three stock locks from the 1700’s. The first is from a year within 1700. The reverse of that lock is similarly adorned as the one in the OP. The second one came from a house built in 1735 and was the original hardware. The third one is from another house built in 1750. As you can see, the quality went downhill as the years went uphill. All of my locks were imported from GB before the American Revolution, after that manufacturing was done in the US as England could no longer prevent that.

The back of the 1735 and 1750 locks do not have any adornment on the back.
BBE.

[unknown]