HUGE and heavy old lock..please identify

ben

Hello all-

I have what appears to be an early lock of some sort. I have no idea what it could have been used for (other than obviously securing something…what that “something” is, I don’t know). This lock is huge, and rather heavy as well. The pics I’ve attached will give you an idea to the size. It appears to utilize two keys..one smaller than the main key (I don’t have the smaller key). The smaller key would lock/unlock the keyhole access cover, and the large key allows a separate piece of iron to be lifted up and slid off the post. I don’t know if the larger key is an original, because the keyhole would indicate that it takes a key that doesn’t have a hollow end (I’m new to collecting here, sorry for my lack of propper terminology). There is carving on the lock..scrollwork mostly around the main post and some etching at the end to the left in the pics below. There is what only I can guess as being a maker’s mark or blacksmith’s forge; an R in reverse atop the letter M, or maybe it’s upside down and should be read as a W above an upside-down reversed R. I’ve never seen a lock like this before. Any info on it’s age/worth/rarity is greatly appreciated!
-Ben

Dean Nickel

If I was to guess it is a gate lock. As to the age… that will be really hard to pin down I would think. Might be able to put it to a 100-150 years… but without knowing the lock maker it will be really hard.

The best thing is to look in the lock keyhole and see if you can count the levers or a very close shot of the key would help. It would appear that it is just a warded lock.

Intresting that this lock has a key for the main keyhole cover.

Tom Gordon

I believe that it is for securing mailbags.

Dean Nickel

Ok, that is a use I can see. Any idea of when Tom?

Tom Gordon

I’m really not sure.

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

I tend to agree with Dean that it is a gate lock. This kind of lock was very popular in the US in the North and in the South in the 1700’s and 1800’s. You could find them on gates to graveyards and large farms/plantations with an ornamental gate. This one is unusual and I have never seen another with the separate lock for the drop. I just wish my lock had that.
BBE.

Paul Prescott

I would go for gate lock too, far to big for mailbags. Indeed the UK lock museum which has now closed pending relocation used to make replicas of this type of lock and gave one to the Terryville museum a few years back. I’m trying to remember the details but cannot find the information at present.

Tom Gordon

They told me when I visited them that it was a main product that was originally made there. I remember them saying it was for mailbags so either my memory is fading or the people running it may have not had a clue.

amazing01

It’s a Gate Lock, without a doubt…….a pretty nice one too.

Cheers, Mike D_C/

ben

Thanks everyone for your input! Sorry I haven’t replied until now..busy workweek. It makes perfect sense that it would be a gatelock. I have always been fascinated with old locks and locking mechanisms and have always wanted one that had at least one other locking feature included (perfect example being this lock with the separate lock for the drop). I took a closer look at the lock, trying to get some more detail by shining a light in the keyhole, but couldn’t see much. The key is pictured below..I wonder if a solid post was fashioned to fit into the end of the key, but is obviously missing, or it’s just bent all to heck due to years of use?

-Ben

Dean Nickel

Yes there should be a post in the center of the key hole. From the key we can say for sure that this is no more than a single lever or a bad lock design if it has more than one lever. This would fall under a warded lock. Most warded locks were made before 1900 as the pin and multi-lever locks were taking over and mass production was just ramping up at that time. Lever locks and pin locks were made before this time as well as warded locks were made after this time. Some are made today in places like Iran.