Help Please: Antique Lock & Keys?

Melba

Hi folks,

Newbie, who’s always liked locks (and tried to defeat them, when an honest entry was needed, or just messing around). I came across this working lock with 2 keys, and hoped that the knowledgeable folks on the Forum might just be able to help me out.

The lock is 11″ long and 6″ wide, and weighs 9-½ lbs. I believe it’s made of iron or some sort of alloy like that (magnet sticks to it), with a brass (non-magnetic) brass coverplate that swivels, and hangs down to cover the keyhole. There are absolutely no markings on this.

It’s a real eye-catcher, due to it’s size. I was told by one person that it might be a ship’s lock. Someone else said they believed it to be a knock-off from India….a novelty item, that usually sold for $75 - $100.

Not looking to “sell it and make a fortune”….just curious.

Thanks,
Melba (well, Mel, but that was taken)

Melba

Melba wrote
Hi folks,

Newbie, who’s always liked locks (and tried to defeat them, when an honest entry was needed, or just messing around)….

Sorry, I meant to add the picture…hope I did it right…

[unknown]

Huw Eastwood

Mel you’ll need to take far clearer pictures- the one you’ve added is large but fuzzy.

From the one you’ve posted it looks 90-95% Indian repro rubbish and 5-10% possibility of original. Take some clear close-ups of it, plus the rivets, sides, shackle and any stamps or markings etc.

Melba

MaxVaultage wrote
Mel you’ll need to take far clearer pictures- the one you’ve added is large but fuzzy.

From the one you’ve posted it looks 90-95% Indian repro rubbish and 5-10% possibility of original. Take some clear close-ups of it, plus the rivets, sides, shackle and any stamps or markings etc.

5-10% chance it’s an original what?? Our digital camera wonked out last month, and my wife’s phone, not only doesn’t have very high resolution, but is having other issues. Here are a few more, hopefully clearer and/or more informative. As I had said before, there aren’t any markings of any kind on it. We’re trying to get a couple more pics. Thanks.

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

Modern indian.

I used to have a link for a site that imports them into the US. Cost was around $14 or thereabouts.

Huw Eastwood

Melba wrote
5-10% chance it’s an original what?? Our digital camera wonked out last month, and my wife’s phone, not only doesn’t have very high resolution, but is having other issues. Here are a few more, hopefully clearer and/or more informative. As I had said before, there aren’t any markings of any kind on it. We’re trying to get a couple more pics. Thanks.

Apologies Melba, my response wasn’t intended to annoy you or stress you out.
Further conclusions made from your additional pictures aren’t going to establish any positive spin to your reaction, so on that basis I’lll take a back seat on it.

[unknown]

Huw Eastwood

oldlock wrote
Modern indian.

I used to have a link for a site that imports them into the US. Cost was around $14 or thereabouts.

I have no knowledge of the company to have worded it as pleasantly as oldlock.
Seems they were originally overpriced by about $10 though.

[unknown]

Melba

MaxVaultage wrote
Apologies Melba, my response wasn’t intended to annoy you or stress you out.
Further conclusions made from your additional pictures aren’t going to establish any positive spin to your reaction, so on that basis I’lll take a back seat on it.

No MaxV, I wasn’t offended at all…not one bit. I just wanted to know what it might be….would an “authentic” whatever-it-is kind of lock be worth $500? and the knock-offs worth $7? I think it’s just an odd conversation piece, and just to let you know, I paid $3 for it at a yard sale, just because… Now if someone offered me $20,000 for it, I’m fairly certain that I’d sell it….or donate it to a museum if it was a one-of-a-kind thing from a certain era. But as it is, I think I’ll just plunk it down somewhere in my poolroom, for laughs.

I appreciate all of your time. If you, or anybody else has more info on this, I’d love to hear it.

Mel

[unknown]

Melba

Anybody have anything else to add??

Melba

Melba wrote
Anybody have anything else to add??

Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler??

[unknown]

wylk

I don’t consider myself much of a padlock collector so I held back. Perhaps this will helpful anyway.

There is a region in India, Aligarh, which makes locks like yours. They are often made for decoration only, “dust catchers” on the wall. But they also have a reputation for making fake copies of valuable locks. I believe that is what MaxVaultage was suggesting with the “5-10% possibility of original”. That it might be an original big old lock rather than merely another Aligarh trinket. They do a pretty good job of making locks look old. Some of their copies fool people on eBay to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

I was struck by the crude manufacturing on your lock, the lack of any markings, the simplistic shape of the drop (keyhole dust cover) and keyhole, and that the overall layout matches most of the Indian locks. Though I’m not an expert it looks like an inexpensive wall-hanger from Aligarh.

Melba

Thanks Wylk. Yes, that’s what I thought MaxVaultage meant….I think he thought I was upset because I underlined ‘what’….I was only emphasizing ‘what’ because I didn’t know what it was that it had a 5-10% chance of being. (oops, there I go again :-)

I think I’m on board with what the consensus is on this item, and I appreciate you forum folks enlightening me.

Again, thank you all,
Melba