Bramah padlock

macs_07

Picked this up recently.
Believed to be a hand made Bramah padlock that was on an original Bramah lock display board.
Unfortunately there are no markings on the lock anywhere that I can find.
7 slider mechanism.
75mm body height X 65mm body width
main body is 24mm thick and total with nozzle is 40mm
key hole diameter is 0.199 or 5.06mm

No key either.
But still an interesting item.

Warren63

macs_07 wrote
Picked this up recently.
Believed to be a hand made Bramah padlock that was on an original Bramah lock display board.
Unfortunately there are no markings on the lock anywhere that I can find.
7 slider mechanism.
75mm body height X 65mm body width
main body is 24mm thick and total with nozzle is 40mm
key hole diameter is 0.199 or 5.06mm

No key either.
But still an interesting item.

Yes your right it is quite interesting, shame there was no key. It looks in pretty exceptional condition for something as old. I know very little about padlocks but I’m sure someone will give you some solid information on it. Regards

[unknown]

Huw Eastwood

Very nice padlock. shame no key but if it’s a Bramah they should be able to sort it if no-one else can. Isn’t oldlock the main agent for Australia? he’ll know for sure. We had Bramah’s London make keys in the past but it’s very expensive and need to be prepared in case it’s not one of their own locks.

No markings on it does seem strange but the ordinary countersunk screws on the back have got me more curious- is it some form of display/demo lock. Wondering how far you get if you remove those screws…

macs_07

Agreed - no markings is strange. However I believe it was mounted on a display board hence the other holes in the back of the padlock.
I did get a number of other Bramah items from the same board/source with the same slider combination and key diameter. I shouldn’t post them here in the padlock for but will post them in the propriety lock forum.
Some pictures with the back cover and locking disk removed.

Huw Eastwood

Ah, that explains it. I’m probably barking up the wrong tree here but the more I look at it- especially those internal pics, the construction and mech, the outside finish, the lack of any makers marking on it, the more I’m thinking Sampson Mordan…

Paul Prescott

Odd that it would be unmarked, no matter who made it as a display item I would expect the maker to have put their mark upon it.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Sampson Mordan padlock, and their locks are always nicely marked.

Any markings at all on any of the other locks Ian ?

I can certainly sort keys if required.

Huw Eastwood

Yes I think Mordan’s locks are rare full stop- I’ve never seen a padlock either, but whereas his cabinet, till and box locks always bear his mark on the salvage, I’ve never seen one of his safe locks or large cylinders with the name on. Only the keys seem to be marked on the bow- the one I have and the few others I’ve seen are like this. I’ve never seen any unmarked Bramah cylinder- not one that’s genuine anyway, but you’ll have seen far more than me. Mordan cylinders also strike me as similar construction and finish to the padlock here, but like i say it was just a thought.

Paul Prescott

The Bramah padlocks were constructed the same way. The mordan safe locks it is true where not marked - but then such locks would never be seen ….

These could well be mordan, but I would still expect them to be marked, no matter who made them.

macs_07

oldlock wrote
Odd that it would be unmarked, no matter who made it as a display item I would expect the maker to have put their mark upon it.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Sampson Mordan padlock, and their locks are always nicely marked.

Any markings at all on any of the other locks Ian ?

I can certainly sort keys if required.

Appreciate that thankyou. Interesting proposition that it could be a Mordan - I hadn’t given it a great deal of thought up till now.
The other locks all have Bramah markings - a brief case lock and a mortice lock have the same keyway dimensions. The more modern padlock, draw lock with micro switch and the modern mortice dead bolt have the larger diameter keyway. I will post the pics for context.

[unknown]

macs_07

oldlock wrote
The Bramah padlocks were constructed the same way. The mordan safe locks it is true where not marked - but then such locks would never be seen ….

These could well be mordan, but I would still expect them to be marked, no matter who made them.

I will have a closer look over the padlock for any markings and I now after a bit of prompting from these posts agree all the other Bramah padlocks I have seen are clearly marked.

Also I have never seen a Bramah in this pattern - I have always seen them like these pictures.

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

I think it’s likely that you have an example of what I would term an ‘insurance’ pattern padlock. Many makers produced such from the mid - 50’s I think and I’ve no doubt Bramah did likewise - I can ask the factory for comment if you wish.

Keys etc for the post 63 pattern locks are quite straightforward, the earlier locks can also be sorted.

A nice interesting group of locks.