Please tell me if this looks genuine!

liviuadrian86

Hello guys! Todays i found this padlock for sale, by chance, and i decided to buy it. i wanna start collecting and dont have any experience to identify a fake and a genuine one. Also i dont know what would be the fair price for it. I ve payed like $170 for it. please let me know your opinions! Thanks

Paul Prescott

Looks genuine too me. IMO far far too expensive though.

wylk

While the lock looks old, the brass looks way too nice. Either it’s been cleaned up (not something a collector would appreciate) or it’s very new (notice the shiny “blob” at the very top, something I’d not expect from a Victorian-era craftsman). Also notice the shadow of some other, possibly prior, shield behind this one. I’m suspicious.

oldbiscuit

Well, lets start by saying that, one, it’s a real padlock. To be considered a fake, in my book, it would have to be a copy of a origional lock or represented as a very much older lock than it is. That being said, I believe it to be a more modern lock and not built by a true craftsman. Look closely at the rivets on the lock body,early craftsmen took pride in forming the heads over on the rivets, not hammered and chiseled like these. Also it’s hard to tell from your picture, but does the key go in the side of the lock or does the brass medalion on the face pivot out to reveal a key hole? The Brass medalion looks to me to be filed flat and then restamped or engraved with new lettering, much to smooth on the face compared to the edges of the medalion and the rest of the lock. I to believe the price is way to high for the lock, but I’ve been wrong before. Mark

Tom Gordon

Compare the workmanship on yours to this one. Yours may be one that has been taken apart and badly reassembled or an Indian modern copy but I dont think it is all genuine.
Sorry

mercury

Your padlock looks like one of these, that has been ‘cleaned’ recently : http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/abraham-thompson-old-and-rare-english-dated

http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-1199344/abraham-thompson-screw-type-padlock-circa-19th-century.html

The head of the key shown in the first link is quite different to yours, however. There are other subtle signs that would make me worry that your lock is a reproduction, but the effort required would seem to exceed the reward, so I’d say your lock is genuine.

The diamond shaped mark on the lock is a registry date stamp, here is information on decoding them : http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/reg.htm

this indicates that your lock was made in 1843.

There is some information on the maker, Abraham Thompson, here : http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/gazetteer/gazt.htm

Hope that helps,

…Mark

Scott Klemm

At first I was inclined to accept this padlock as a genuine antique that had merely been cleaned too vigorously. It definitely looked old, but I was bothered by the writing on the brass plate. It had the names of two distinct companies that never merged – Bramah and Thompson. I thought maybe Bramah could refer to the type, but then I learned this was of the screw-key type.

What really changed my mind was when I looked up the article on that diamond date registration mark. These marks were used on ceramics or pottery. A pottery mark used on plates and cups on a padlock?!! I now think it’s a fake probably from India. I’m sorry – I too thought it was real at first. :=(:

Scott

mercury

Scott Klemm wrote
At first I was inclined to accept this padlock as a genuine antique that had merely been cleaned too vigorously. It definitely looked old, but I was bothered by the writing on the brass plate. It had the names of two distinct companies that never merged – Bramah and Thompson. I thought maybe Bramah could refer to the type, but then I learned this was of the screw-key type.

What really changed my mind was when I looked up the article on that diamond date registration mark. These marks were used on ceramics or pottery. A pottery mark used on plates and cups on a padlock?!! I now think it’s a fake probably from India. I’m sorry – I too thought it was real at first. :=(:

Scott

I disagree, if you read more about registration marks, they were used for all manner of goods, from pottery, to foodstuffs, medicines & much more.

Here is is another from antique-padlocks.com, at the bottom of the page : http://www.antique-padlocks.com/screw_a-z.htm

The first link improvided above shows another lock like this one with the same type of registration mark.

Further more, the logo does not say Bramah Thompson. It says Abraham Thompson.

…Mark

[unknown]

Timothy

I guess I’ll go along with Mark. As least if can get picture of key and key hole to see the differ of what is it….Timothy…..

Scott Klemm

mercury wrote
I disagree, if you read more about registration marks, they were used for all manner of goods, from pottery, to foodstuffs, medicines & much more.

Here is is another from antique-padlocks.com, at the bottom of the page : http://www.antique-padlocks.com/screw_a-z.htm

The first link improvided above shows another lock like this one with the same type of registration mark.

Further more, the logo does not say Bramah Thompson. It says Abraham Thompson.

…Mark

Oops! You’re right, Mark. I guess I better use my glasses next time.

[unknown]

liviuadrian86

Thank you very much for the replay!

mercury wrote
Your padlock looks like one of these, that has been ‘cleaned’ recently : http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/abraham-thompson-old-and-rare-english-dated

http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-1199344/abraham-thompson-screw-type-padlock-circa-19th-century.html

The head of the key shown in the first link is quite different to yours, however. There are other subtle signs that would make me worry that your lock is a reproduction, but the effort required would seem to exceed the reward, so I’d say your lock is genuine.

The diamond shaped mark on the lock is a registry date stamp, here is information on decoding them : http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/reg.htm

this indicates that your lock was made in 1843.

There is some information on the maker, Abraham Thompson, here : http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/gazetteer/gazt.htm

Hope that helps,

…Mark

[unknown]

liviuadrian86

Than you all for your response! i guess even it s fake or not, its already payed so i have to enjoy it 🙂)

mercury

liviuadrian86 wrote
Than you all for your response! i guess even it s fake or not, its already payed so i have to enjoy it 🙂)

The key makes me a little suspicious, but in all other respects your lock seems right. The effort involved in reproducing this lock this accurately, right down to the positioning & shape of the rivets versus the reward for doing so, makes me lean towards your lock being the real thing. I’d certainly enjoy it in my collection, but perhaps $170 is more than I’d pay.

…Mark

[unknown]