Wells Fargo Padlock

Jeff Texas

This I’m almost 99.9% is the real deal.. I am A newbie here, and have had this lock in my possesion for 35 years..

“WF.&Co.”. 3 ¼″ high x 2 ½″ wide. Steel case. Steel Shackle.There is a hole going through the case and the shackle to accept the wire seal.“J.H.W. CLIMAX Co. NEWARK N.J. U.S.A.” is stamped on the obverse ofthe shackle. Made for: Wells Fargo & Co. Mfg by: J. H. W. Climax Co.
Case is all steel..cover looks as it is a cast brass.

Dean Nickel

What little I know of padlocks I also would lean to this is the real deal but I will wait until the padlock collectors chime in as they do know more about this than I.

Welcome aboard and may this be a long hobby for you!:8):

oldbiscuit

Jeff, I’m almost 100% sure what you have is an origional Wells Fargo padlock. Another version of the lock has W.F.Co EX on the swing cover. Yours is the seal lock version,thus the hole in the case and bail.
Value would be higher with a working origional key, but I would still think it would be worth $400-$500 on a good day.:8):

Scott Klemm

I don’t claim to be the last word regarding it’s authenticity, but I want to express my concern about this lock. The rough appearing keyhole cover makes me feel uneasy. The lines are not sharp and I see pitting from the casting. A few fake Wells Fargo locks have appeared in The Antique Lock Collector and the Journal of Lock Collecting. Although none of these are the same as this one, caution needs to be exercised. “Next to the Winchester name, Wells Fargo seems to be the most popular name that ends up on locks,” said one writer. I haven’t checked it out yet, but the website www.wcla.net has a section on bogus locks.

amazing01

I am no expert on these locks but the keyhole cover has a serious red flag…….it is not uniform to the rest of the lock and it looks like it was worked on. In my opinion, it looks like a fake. I see faked locks and restraints all the time and I am suspicious of anything that says Colt, Winchester, Yuma, Folsom, Alcatraz, Sing Sing, Wells Fargo, B&O, Keen Kutter, and any other high profile names; I never give these the benefit of the doubt and for good reason. The fakers are getting a lot better at what they do and these fakes are getting very hard to spot. Just my thoughts.

Mike

Paul Prescott

I don’t think it’s right either. Only small orders would have used cast escutcheons (and then they are much finer cast than this example) a major user of locks would have had the name cast into the case.

While the OP has owned it a long time, I’m afraid in my opinion it’s just an old fake.

Jeff Texas

I would think it is the same as the one shown here #715

http://www.antique-padlocks.com/exp_a-z.htm

oldbiscuit

I’m still sticking with my origional opinion that it’s the real McCoy. In order for someone to have swapped the keyhole cover they would have had of taken the lock apart. Looking at the rivets, it’s pretty clear , at least to me that the case hasn’t been tampered with. Arnells book shows this lock also but without the extra casting on the bottom for the chain. I wonder if someone at one time or another hasn’t taken the whole lock to a wire wheel to remove the surface rust, thus the wear and pitting on the cover.🙁nerd):

Brian Denyer

Looks like a great old padlock.
The brass Drop Cover keyhole plate appears to be a rough Sand Caste
instead of a finer Lost Wax type of casting.

If you could open up the lock and show the shackle it may lead
to other observations?

Differences in the keyhole Plate and the lock body may be due to
a company repair and retrofitting?
For cost saving economy I think Wells Fargo would repair/restore
their equipment instead of replacing a lock that was still workable
after a patch up?

Hey if you like it then cherish it a part of your collection.
I am not sure anyone could give a 100% opinion.

Brian …………………….