Can Someone Please Help Me Date This Elgin Padlock?

Bobbyj

I bought this lock about a month ago, and have been trying to find information on it. Primarily, what year(s) that it was made. It appears to be pretty old, and has a great patina. It’s an Elgin, and has “BL-644” on the key and lock(I know that is the key number).

The seller told me that her son-in-law works as a machine operator, and found it while walking the rubble of a beachfront house that they had just demolished. The tag is hand-written, and reads “Boiler Room Cabinet”.

I tried to find out something before asking, but have hit nothing but dead-ends. I read on a metal detecting forum where someone had found an old Elgin lock while treasure-hunting, and had e-mailed Elgin for information, but the only Elgin Lock that I can find is a locksmith.

Could any of the members help me with dating this lock? I would love to know old it actually is.

Dean Nickel

I would put it in the 1900-1940 time frame from the look of it and the design. Will have to look up Elgin to see when they went out of business, if it is listed.

Pschiffe

Halflock wrote
I would put it in the 1900-1940 time frame from the look of it and the design. Will have to look up Elgin to see when they went out of business, if it is listed.

I believe Elgin was private-label Ilco sold by Sears. Appears to be similar to the Ilco 320B (black wrinkle) or 320G (green wrinkle) 1-½″ die cast disc tumbler. These are pictured in their Catalog No. 12, copyright 1941.

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

Bobbyj

Thanks, guys. You are a wealth of information. Being that Elgin was Ilco branded for Sears, that would explain the lack of information on the internet about it.

So it looks like we are talking early 1940’s.

I know that it looks different than most other locks that I have seen, and someone, many years ago, has put a wire through the ring hole in the key, along with the tag so that it can be hung on what I would guess would be a nail. I love things with a history, and if this lock could talk, I would love to hear the stories that it would tell.

I’m going to try to find a copy of the referenced catalog and see if I can compare the Ilco lock to mine, mine is the 320B with the wrinkle finish.

All information is welcome.

Scott Klemm

Yes, it was a padlock brand carried by Sears & Roebuck. As a side light, it appears that the name was chosen to suggest “precision.” The Elgin National Watch Factory in Elgin, Illinois enjoyed a good reputation with the public, and Sears apparently hoped that the association would transfer over to their padlock.

Pschiffe

Bobbyj wrote
I’m going to try to find a copy of the referenced catalog and see if I can compare the Ilco lock to mine, mine is the 320B with the wrinkle finish.

Attached is a pdf copy of the Ilco catalog page showing 320B and 320G. Their Feb. 28, 1941 Price List shows 320B @ $2.75 per dozen.

Pete Schifferli

[unknown]

ilco320bpadlock1941.pdf

81kB

Bobbyj

I never knew that Sears carried Elgin Padlocks, or even that it was re-branded Ilco. It’s amazing. Sears sold “Craftsman” locks for awhile, but now sell the Master brand. They have gotten away from re-branding things, I assume for cost reduction.

Thanks so much also for the copy if the Ilco catalog page. The lock on there looks exactly like the one that I have, save for “Elgin” being in the place of “Ilco” The “ribbon” design that encircles the head of the key is even the same, so I think that it is safe to say that is the lock in question. Plus the cost per dozen shows that it is an old lock. You can’t even get a single luggage lock for that price today.

I have collected padlocks for a little over a month, and stemmed from me actually enjoying the design of newer padlocks. Then I realized that there was actually a collectors market out there for vintage padlocks. That was the beginning of my love of collecting them. I have 7 so far, two of them being old military padlocks. I love the history that comes with them too.

This lock actually works great, and of course I would not clean or polish it and remove the patina. I only plan to leave it in my collection, but would it be sacrilege to put a little graphite in the keyway to free up the pins a little more? It’s just a little sticky when you try to extract the key.

Thanks again for the help, guys. I’m here to stay, and hope to glean some of the wealth of knowledge off of everyone here.

Calkid

Bobbyj wrote
I never knew that Sears carried Elgin Padlocks, or even that it was re-branded Ilco.

I recently found an Elgin lock that appears older (all brass) than the one pictured above. If I knew how to add a photo I would insert one.
Any info on lock or photo insertion would be helpful. Do I understand, by the way, that Elgin locks start at approx. 1900?

CalKid

[unknown]

Pschiffe

Calkid wrote
Bobbyj wrote
I never knew that Sears carried Elgin Padlocks, or even that it was re-branded Ilco.

I recently found an Elgin lock that appears older (all brass) than the one pictured above. If I knew how to add a photo I would insert one.
Any info on lock or photo insertion would be helpful. Do I understand, by the way, that Elgin locks start at approx. 1900?

CalKid

Ilco also made many extruded and cast brass padlocks and it is likely your Elgin may have also been private-label Ilco although it is possible that Sears may have also used other OEM suppliers. That is about all I can say without an image, I you click on [Manage Attachments] below you will see how to insert thumbnails. You might want to look in an old Sears catalog, reproductions of those early books are quite common.

Pete Schifferli

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Calkid

Pschiffe wrote
Calkid wrote
Ilco also made many extruded and cast brass padlocks and it is likely your Elgin may have also been private-label Ilco although it is possible that Sears may have also used other OEM suppliers. That is about all I can say without an image, I you click on [Manage Attachments] below you will see how to insert thumbnails. You might want to look in an old Sears catalog, reproductions of those early books are quite common.

Pete Schifferli

Thanks, Pete. This is it. Not shown is the Elgin key that it came with. Does this look to you like teens or 20s?
Calkid Ken

[unknown] [unknown]

Pschiffe

Calkid wrote
Pschiffe wrote
Thanks, Pete. This is it. Not shown is the Elgin key that it came with. Does this look to you like teens or 20s?
Calkid Ken

Hard to say but my gut feeling is that it may not be that old. The oval shape of the extruded brass body suggests that it might not even be Ilco-made, but that’s just a guess. I’m no expert or collector and others may have different opinions. Does it have a pin or wafer tumbler mechanism? Can we see the key?

Pete Schifferli

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