Help needed dating Hobbs & Co Patent Protector locks

lorddlm2

Hi there

I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me date these particular Hobbs & Co Patent Protector locks.

They are numbered 40569 and 40590.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

safeman

1934.

Paul Prescott

safeman wrote
1934.

Where did you get that ? I thought only safe numbers were extant ?

[unknown]

safeman

oldlock wrote
Where did you get that ? I thought only safe numbers were extant ?

Are you suggesting that the safe serial numbers are different from lock numbers?

If so then I retract the date given to lorddlm2.

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

Certainly are. I’ve seen examples of safe locks bearing a number that is totally different to the one stamped on the key which would have been the safe number.

lorddlm2

Hi there

Thank you for your responses.

Judging by the design, manufacture and styling, the box from which both these locks belong should date from around the late 1850’s to the late 1860’s, if thats any help?

Huw Eastwood

What beautiful locks, they make my Hobb’s examples look positively bland! Nice to see Hobb’s instead of Chubb or Bramah’s too.
Have always appreciated engravings on watch and clock movements so it’s always that extra bit special to see it on locks.
Can you post pictures of the box on which they are fitted?

lorddlm2

Thank you very much for your comments. Here is a photo of the box that these locks belong to. The quality of the engraved brass inlay is simply breathtaking. At nearly half a metre in width, its an incredibly grand piece.

Huw Eastwood

Wow that is stunning.
I realised it was going to be an impressive box by virtue of the engraving on both the locks, have to admit I wasn’t quite expecting one that nice! What a beautiful work of art in all aspects, and many thanks for posting.

lorddlm2

Its a real pleasure to share it with a fellow appreciator.

Now i just need to find somewhere that might have kept records of these serial numbers in order to date the box a little more accurately.

Cepasaccus

I got this Protector lock from ebay:

The screws are nicely numbered by dots from no dot to three dots. The imprint is very weak, but I believe it is the same as on the lock above, i.e. HOBBS&Co PATENT PROTECTOR, CHEAPSIDE LONDON.

Any idea on dating that one? The serial number is probably 04800, so it is perhaps an early example of this 8-lever powder-proof lock? If so my guess would be around 1880-1900.

Thanks for your opinions

Huw Eastwood

Hi Cepasaccus, nice lock has it got the vent holes through the bolt head and the channels in the case- theres a bit of info on the Hobb’s/Milners locks page here on HoL:
http://www.historyoflocks.com/hob001.html

Cepasaccus

Yes, it has all these gun powder vents. And yes, I have seen this page already. The most similar is second row on the right. With the holes it has to be before 1918 and after the previous dated example of 1865. That is a rather wide area. It would be nice if this could be narrowed down somehow. My thinking regarding the 1880 - 1900 was that it is certainly some time later than the 1865 example, but with a serial number of 04 800 it is probably an early specimen of this type with some distance to 1918.

Cepasaccus

Serial is 04 008. (Or 008 04) In any case less than 10% of the serial number of the lock on this web page. That is why I think it should be long before 1918.