Vintage U.S. Customs Locks

Rob

I have 2 Solid Bronze Padlocks, which say U.S. Customs on the front in BIG BOLD letters. On the back it says “Pat. Nov 19, 1889, May 19 1891” and “Made By Smith & Edge MFg Co., Bridgeport Connecticut”. They have a round key hole in the botton with a thin slot, which would accomodate a round shafted key with a blade about .025 thick. On the side is a “cover” which opens to reveal 4 “wheels/Tumblers”. The first “Tumbler” has a letter designation while the remaining 3 “Tumblers” have a number designation. Any information on how this lock works, age, worth, rarity, etc. would be helpful and appreciated.

oldbiscuit

Rob, as the patent date states these locks were used from the late 1800’s into the early half of the 1900’s with that cast design. The US postal service still uses locks very close to this yet today. I’m not sure just what the US customs service uses now. The counter in the window would advance 1 number every time the lock was opened thereby verifing if the locked bag or box was tampered with. The US custom locks like yours with the cast lettering and the window intact w/cover have been selling on Ebay for around $75-$100 & more if they have a origional or operating key. Nice locks to have in any collection, Mark

wylk

oldbiscuit wrote
The US postal service still uses locks very close to this yet today.

It was my impression that they have stopped using these on international registered mail, and are in the process of giving up counter locks on domestic registered mail. If so, presumably they are switching to serial-numbered plastic seals.

Does anybody know more about what the USPS is doing?

Jim

[unknown]

oldbiscuit

Jim, I was down at our local post office the other day talking to the postmaster and they are still using the lock with the counter for outgoing mail. I live in a little village of 300 people in Nebraska. Mark

fscheer

Jim stated:

wylk wrote
It was my impression that they have stopped using these on international registered mail, and are in the process of giving up counter locks on domestic registered mail. If so, presumably they are switching to serial-numbered plastic seals.

International registered mail pouches were closed with twine and a lead seal. A rotary lock marked “U.S. INT’L MAIL” was used for registered mail to Canada. It is not clear when these were withdrawn from use but it seems to have occurred in the 1960s.

Domestic registered mail still has a rotary lock used, even though these are observed on eBay with the statement “no longer in use.” Plastic seals are also utilized, which occurs when a rotary lock is not available.

There were some rotary locks that also had special keyings so that the pouches could pass through the Post Office Department/Postal Service activities but could not be opened by postal employees. For example, the U. S. Treasury Department had its own keying and these were used for shipments of currency to Federal Reserve Banks. The rotary locks look the same as any ’U.S. REG’D MAIL" padlock, but the letter prefix for the serial number stamped on the back are D, K, or T. These locks have been withdrawn from service and Treasury/Federal Reserve currency is no longer sent by registered mail.

[unknown]

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

I was at the Post Office Lock Shop in Washington, DC about 3 years ago and in the bottom floor they still make those counter locks. It is fairly obvious that when Smith & Egge went out of business the PO took over making them and that may be when/why other agencies stopped using them. According to my guide on the tour they typically make 25,000 of the counter locks every year.
BBE.

Rob

Wow! Thanks guys……….You are a wealth of knowledge and information. I knew I came to the right forum.
I’m going to attempt to impression a key for one of these. From what I’m reading, if I’m successful, it might work in the other lock as well. Has anyone had any experience with this, on this type of lock. A flat key from a Diebold Safe Deposit lock fits nicely. The inner (bottom) part of the key-way has a spring loaded lever in it. Any idea how this effects the lock, and/or opening of the lock??
Thanks again……
Rob

fscheer

BBE wrote
I was at the Post Office Lock Shop in Washington, DC about 3 years ago and in the bottom floor they still make those counter locks.

The Mail Equipment Shops (MES) at 2135 Fifth Street, NE, Washington, DC, was also the location where most of the rotary locks produced for the Post Office Department and other federal agencies were produced. During the past century at this location, the MES has alternated between repairing rotary locks, making new and fixing defectives, or only manufacturing new ones. These shifts have been driven by the postal budget for a given fiscal year and the changes in management perspectives about the cost-effectiveness of repairs versus new lock production.

At present besides the rotary locks, the only items produced at the MES are the “Arrow” locks and keys which are installed in street letter collection boxes, “modified Arrow” locks and keys which have a Medeco cylinder, “serial” locks which are the brass padlocks using a push-key that are marked “street letter box,” and the keys for postal lock boxes.

As a postscript about “rotary” locks (marked "U.S. REG’D MAIL): about 1,000 seemed to have been produced as a test of outsourcing around the 1940s although no firm information has been found regarding the year. These were procured from Sargent & Greenleaf and had the same keying as a standard-use rotary lock. They are distinguishable by having the serial number prefix “BB,” the guard over the rotary window having four cut-outs (an opening for each of the numbers), and a peened top edge of the case around the shackle collar casting.

———- Post added at 12:33 AM ———- Previous post was at 12:24 AM ———-

Rob wrote
I’m going to attempt to impression a key for one of these [rotary locks].

Be cautious in attempting to fit keys to postal locks that are not obsolete and considered to be in active use by the Postal Service. Despite what you may see listed on eBay regarding fitted or original keys, there is a federal law that prohibits producing a key that will open these locks. I can send a copy of that law as an email attachment upon request.

[unknown] [unknown]

Rob

Thanks Frank, I hadn’t considered the possibility of these locks still being in service, somewhere. Also, THANK YOU for the indepth reply on the rotary locks. It seems that the main user of these locks was the US Postal Service, with other agencies such as U.S. Customs not requiring as many. I wonder if this increases the value a bit??

Rob

fscheer

Rob wrote
It seems that the main user of these locks was the US Postal Service, with other agencies such as U.S. Customs not requiring as many. I wonder if this increases the value a bit??

Rob, I don’t have a perspective on values. Much of value is driven by the number of collectors desiring an item relative to the available quantity. Theoretically, none of these government locks are supposed to exist in private collections. Consequently, they should all be scarce. However, USPS has had surplus property sales, as have other federal agencies. In my view, locks were mixed in with other materiel and sold, even though they weren’t supposed to be.

[unknown]

Brian Denyer

It is illegal to reproduce Canadian Postal keys also.
A Federal Offence which is in the more seriuos catagory of tried by way of Indictable prosecution.
Even asking for keys to the older Post Office Locks will result in being arrested.
One smart person went to a local Lock Shop with an old PO Lock and asked for a key
to be made. When they came to pick it up a few days later and Detective working as an
employee arrested him on the spot. Postal Locks are supposed to be destroyed.
When Canada had a uniform Security Section all sorts of collectors offered large sums
of money for their hat badges.

Brian ……………………………………….

dieselducy

What about a standard corbin lock stamped “US Customs” is it worth anything??

Brian Denyer

Federal Government locks are always worth something to collectors.

Brian ………………………..

fscheer

My recommendation to anyone seeking current market prices for locks is to do periodic searches on eBay for the item they are interested in.

Good luck, Andrew, and best wishes for a great 2012!

Frank

Brian Denyer

Watch a few episodes of the Las Vegas ‘Pawn Stars’ for valuation and actual sales prices.
I agree with Frank about Ebay.
Some great pieces there but so are the prices after bidding.

Brian ………………………………………………………………………..

dieselducy

what does the Canada post lock look like? I cant seem to find any images of them. Also I am surprised the USPS postal inspectors aren’t all over ebay due to the fact that it is relatively easy to secure a key to one of these locks..