1821 Silver Crowns (x2) - Fashioned into a working PADLOCK 200 Years Ago

I think one of the coolest things about this coin padlock is the size. Most of the ones that I have seen are about the size of a US dime. This one is huge compared to those.

1821 Silver Crowns (x2) - Fashioned into a working PADLOCK 200 yrs ago!! - eBay (10/12/2013)

This padlock had a 'Buy-it-Now' price of 225 British Pounds / $358.81 (Plus 9.35 Pounds / $14.91 Shipping).
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Large Complex Brass & Steel Changable Key

This was a key for a lock that could be re-keyed by changing the order of the parts inside the lock. I didn't think the key was that rare, but given the final price I guess I was wrong.

 

Curious old brass and steel key that can be reconfigured. The end unscrews and the fins can be interchanged. It measures 6 1/8 inches long. There is light wear and some tarnish. - eBay (15 Sept 2013)

This key had a high bid of $1,359.99 (Plus $3.62 Shipping).
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Assa Abloy Clear Padlock

Now here is a real interesting padlock. I already feel that I lost out by not purchasing this one, but sometimes people need to make tough decisions when money is a limited resource.

 

 

This is a highly collectable rare padlock from Abloy. There are very few of these around. This padlock is from my private collection and is for the serious collector. The padlock comes complete with two keys. - eBay (20 Sept 2013)

This padlock had a high bid of $250 (Plus Free Shipping).
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"Rosicrucian Combination Padlock"

The following photo and description was submitted by a reader of this blog.

...I call a Rosicrucian combination lock based on the script on the combo wheels that is often called the Rosicrucian/Freemason cipher. This lock could well be a Freemason padlock. The lock is of steel construction with 6 brass wheels and a brass knob on the center pin. The lock measures 3.5" long,2.5" tall, .75"wide

I am grateful to this valued reader for sharing part of his collection.
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UK Padlock made of 2 silver coins

I love miniature padlock and these are my favorite miniature padlock. I think that these were probably some project that apprentice locksmiths made as part of their training. However I am only guessing at that. Still, very cool.

 

This padlock seems to be slightly different from the others that I have seen and profiled in this blog which were made from three pence coins. This one is made from a four pence coin. Is this why the seller was asking for hundreds more Dollars than the others??? I do not see that as a reason to pay more and perhaps that is why this padlock did not sell.

Made of 2 Tiny English Victorian 4 pence "Groat" silver coins with steel inner parts. Beautiful top quality work went into making this sweetheart. This little gem of a lock is Victorian or Early Edwardian handwork. It is the smallest precision working lock I ever saw and if it was locked you would have to pick it or tear it up to open it. - eBay (22 Feb 2013)

This padlock had a 'Buy-it-now' price of $627.77 (Plus $7.75 Shipping) but failed to attract any takers.

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BRASS US CUSTOMS PADLOCK LOCK W/ COUNTER

This ia a very cool auction, mostly because the customs padlock comes with an original key. This is the first time I remember seeing one. I suspect that is why this lock went as high as it did.

ANTIQUE RARE BRASS US CUSTOMS PADLOCK LOCK W/ COUNTER & ORIGINAL KEY PAT 1879 ANTIQUE AMERICAN US CUSTOMS PADLOCK. SOLID BRASS, GORGEOUS PATINA. WORKS GREAT. HAS COUNTER. COUNTER HAS THE ORIGINAL GLASS. PADLOCK COMES WITH ORIGINAL KEY. KEY IS MARKED US CUSTOMS ON ONE SIDE AND 574 ON THE OTHER SIDE. PADLOCK IS MARKED S1 ON THE SHACKLE. IT IS ALSO MARKED "US CUSTOMS 7011" ON THE FRONT. ONT HE BACK IT HAS TWO SWORDS CROSSING AND IT IS MARKED "TRADE UTLS MARK PAT SEPT 30 79" SO THIS WAS MADE AROUND 1880's. - eBay (4 March 2013)

This padlock had a high bid of $1,125 (Plus $9.95 Shipping).
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US customs rotary padlock w/key. Marked for Northern Pacific Railroad

It is amazing how simple this Customs padlock key appears to be.

Up for auction is a nice old vintage US customs department rotary style padlock in good condition. The lock is marked for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Lock opens and closes but the numbers don't seem to be rotating consistently. Sometimes they do but most times not. Repair/lube I don't know so just be aware. Still a very nice lock for the collector just in time for Christmas. High bidder to pay $8.00 for domestic UPS/USPS shipping. Insurance included. International, Hawaii, and Alaska pay actual UPS or USPS rate. - eBay (15 Dec 2012)

This padlock had a high bid of $393 (Plus $8 Shipping).
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MINIATURE ONE CENT 1926 COIN TRICK PADLOCK

I am a real fan of coin padlock. This is not exactly a padlock as it does not require a key or combination, but it is styled as a padlock, and is an antique, so that is enough for me.

ANTIQUE MINIATURE ONE CENT 1926 COIN TRICK PADLOCK LOCK WORKS GREAT ANTIQUE COIN PADLOCK. WORKS GREAT. IT IS MADE OF ONE CENT 1926 COIN, SO PROBABLY MADE AROUND MID 1900's MARKINGS: 1926 ONE CENT COIN. SEE PICTURES MEASUREMENT: APPROXIMATELY 1.10" HEIGHT - eBay (18 Dec 12)

This padlock had a high bid of $79.99 (Plus $3.50 Shipping).
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Burns Patent Bottle Lock

This is an interesting special purpose lock for sure. Even better that it appears to be in perfect condition.

This lock was made before its Patent was obtained (later similar models include the date 'January 1881'). Probably made by Thomas Turner & Co of Wolverhampton (a quality manufacturer), whose name is on the later patented locks. Fine all over nickel plating, possibly over brass. Not original key only works occasionally, but is included. To lock, the plunger is pressed down, after enclosing the assembly around the bottle top. The plunger springs open when the key is operated. An excellent and unusual antique lock - quite heavy to the feel. 2.1" (5.3cm) high x 1.5" (3.7cm) diameter - very collectable. - eBay (25 Nov 12)

This lock had a high bid of 64 British Pounds (Plus 5.60 Pounds Shipping).

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GEORGE V THREEPENCE SILVER COIN 1921 - MINIATURE PADLOCK

I am a fan of these coin padlocks. I like this one because of the King coin used as oppossed to most of the others I have highlighted with Queen Victoria.

ANTIQUE GEORGE V THREEPENCE SILVER COIN DATED 1921

HAS BEEN MADE INTO A CHARM ? PADLOCK....DOES NOT OPEN THOUGH, MORE OF A NOVELTY THING

IN GOOD CONDITION - eBay (3 Oct 2011)

This padlock had a high bid of 15.48 British Pounds / $24.02 (Plus Shipping).

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Unique German Restraint

This is a very cool hand restraint that was listed on eBay Germany's site.

Sie bieten hier auf eine Art Handschellen,genauer gesagt glaube ich es handelt sich hier um Überführungshandschellen.

Das Teil ist massiv aus Stahl gearbeitet und der Hüftgurt ( Lederriemen )sieht auch robust aus ,ich denke das Teil ist bestimmt 20-30 Jahre alt.

Kauf von Privat , ohne Garantie und ohne Umtauschrecht - eBay (5 Nov 2011)

Here is an uncorrected Google Translation:

You are bidding on a kind of handcuffs, more precisely, I believe it is here to transfer handcuffs.

The part is machined from solid steel and the waist strap (leather) looks tough, I think the part is determined 20-30 years old.

Buying private, with no guarantee and no right to exchange

This restraint had a high bid of 301 Euros (Plus 9.70 Euros Shipping). Not a bad price I think. Actually, I think this was a very good deal.

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Antique French secret padlock 18-19th Century

The cool part of this lock is the key and keyway. Definately cool, but cool comes with an expensive price.

antique French secret padlock made about 1800's- wrought iron

with clover key 2.1/4" inches(5.7cm)

size of padlock: 1.1/2."inches(4cm) by :2.3/4" (7cm)

to open padlock:

1 - Pull the back plate of the lock to release the aperture plate (cache-entry of padlock) : picture 3

2 - Position the plate to left -on the symbol (If the position is not correct, the key turns but does not actuate the mechanism): picture 4

3 - adjust the clover with the key, insert the key and turn -the lock is open, to close you need to keep the position (2)

IN VERY GOOD CONDITION - eBay

This padlock had a buy-it-now price of $1,700 (Plus free Shipping). It was currently available at the time of writing.

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NORTH POLE Padlock ~ Admiral BYRD Commemorative

Here is a second North Pole Commemorative padlock.

Beautiful old brass padlock commemorates Admiral Richard E. Byrd's Antarctic expedition. Manufactured by J. Walter Miller Lock Co. of Lancaster ,Pa. ( Company stopped producing padlocks in the 1930's ). There is no key, and the previous owner oiled the lock inside and out. The hasp has quite a bit of play, yet seems like it would be hard to close; there is a slight gap/bend in the outer plate near the joint. Looking inside, I see a rough edge where a piece of brass has been broken. I'm not a lock person so don't know the name of this part, but will try to show it in my photos. Cosmetically, apart from a bit of green paint, and the usual nicks and dings, this is a very handsome piece. - eBay (8 Aug 2011)

This padlock had a high bid of $356.33 (Plus $7.95 Shipping).
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Bar Rigid Handcuffs Shackles - 1874

Here is a restraint that does deserve the designation 'Rare'. This can be confirmed by the large price paid by the winner to claim this set for their collection.

I would say this is a Super Rare Set of HandCuffs up for Grabs......there are no stamps or marks of any sort on these............I have owned bought sold/traded quite a few sets of restraints and have never personally seen a set like these....I have seen pics of somewhat similar styles......after extensive research I found what I believe is the patent for these................please be sure to copy paste and check out........................http://www.google.com/patents?id=o81hAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false ..........................................

its dated 1874......and there are 3 variations of this set listed and these are Fig 2 the ones in the middle ..................they measure a touch over 13" long and 3 1/4" wide at the wrist and the diameter at the end is 1 3/8".................the locking device is a Square Head Bolt which locks the wrist restraints on to the bar,the square head bolt remains fixed in the wrist restraint,thus the cut-out in the sleeve to accomadate the threaded part of the bolt.....

Please Be Sure To Check Out The Pics.............so with the square head bolt there was obviously a wrench type of deal which acted as the key,which is lost to time......................material is nickel plated brass or bronze and shows Nice Wear and a Deep Pleasing Patina............GREAT SET FOR THE ESCAPE ARTIST OR POLICE/HANDCUFF COLLECTOR ENTHUSIAST....Chances are it'll be a long time before you see another set for sale...IF... you ever see another set up for grabs..............A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION.............

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On May-20-11 at 06:50:07 PDT, seller added the following information:

Further Research has shown the these may Very Well be the ONLY PAIR OF BROOME and WOODS in Existence!!!!!!........That they never Made It Into Production and That TheseMay Very Well Be The Patent Prototypes.............Its my understanding that Prior to 1880 the U.S Patent office Required a Working Model of an idea to be submitted which the Patent Office apparently kept..........and after eliminating that requirement somewhere around 1920 the Patent Office Auctioned off all the Prototypes and some of the more important ones were put into the Smithsonian Institute......these may Very Well Be one of the Patent Prototypes Auctioned off ,purchased and owned privately.........Of course this all needs even further Research and is Educated Speculation.........

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On May-21-11 at 14:48:34 PDT, seller added the following information:

Here's Some interesting info I'd like to ad........... eBayer Amazingollie wrote me to say.........I was friends with a fellow named Dick Norman.

He wrote a book on handcuffs for magicians, back in the 60s.He listed this in his book, and had owned one at one time.He later sold it to a felow in Texas named Pat Broach,who in turn sold it to ???????.........Could these have belonged to Dick Norman,theres no telling how many hands an item can pass through in 137 years
........................is there a picture of Houdini out there with these on?????????

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On May-22-11 at 04:40:54 PDT, seller added the following information:

As this auction comes to a close I would like to address some chatter....... to straighten out any possible questions raised........ and ease any over analyzing of the patent description.........First Off.... this piece can only be truly appreciated when it is handled in person.....and that there is no way it can be fully appreciated in pics...when you hold it,it is evident that they have been around for a long time and handled extensively and that the Wear and Patina are Even and Genuine,the middle bar has a deep patina with 98% of the plating gone but some of the plating can still be seen on the ends of the bar,so if this piece did in fact make it into a jailhouse/prison situation the guard would have the prisoner cuffed in the rear because cuffed in front this would be a weapon,so when cuffed in the rear how would the guard guide the prisoner but by using the middle bar as a handle thus wearing off the plating and darkening the brass........the nickel plating is still on the two cuff parts but has dulled with age and is worn in spots from repeted handling...There is absolutely no way to ascertain this from the pictures ,the flash of the camera on the reflective surface of the plating alters the image so that its tough to capture its true color ....................................And why are there no markings, of any kind, on this piece?......Theres Nothing That Says there Needs to be,if this is in fact the Patent Model all it would've had on it is a couple paper tags................................ the threads on the brass bolt are perfect,Could these have been cut on any machines available in 1874?Absolutely!!!.....Screw lathes were were invented mid 1700's and perfected early 1800's,for more education on that............try.....http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Screw.html......and.........http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/screwdriver.htm

.........................................................................its also come to my attention that some are over analyzing the patent description which I feel is basically describing what Broome and Wood were trying to ultimately achieve in their product with adjustable sizing which would've include additional sleeves,additional parts{making them complex and therefore impracticle and probably why they never took off}, these would be figure #1 the set on the left...forget the patent description and simply look at the pictures, these cuffs that I'm selling are essentially a combination of designs 2 and 3....its that simple.........................................................

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On May-22-11 at 04:51:52 PDT, seller added the following information:

Now are these the only set these guys made??????If you think about it, Maybe not,because if Broome + Wood tooled up to produce a part,say the sleeve or the cuff or the middle bar why not make multiples and put together a few sets to send them out for test marketing??Send a sample out to prisons ,sherriffs,military police and whoever for feedback......given the wear on this set perhaps thats the route these took...some prison or jail gets a free pair of cuffs and puts them to use.. on out of control cowboys indians, prisoners of war,outlaws, bandits border crossers,gangsters.........137 years theres no telling where these have been.....Theres no telling who has owned them!!!!!!.....Houdini was going Full Speed when the Patent Office had the auction,find a picture of him with these on and you've got yourself something special......................I'm so intreged by these cuffs I had a half a mind to pull the auction and Get the History Detectives on the case...look into Broome and Wood,try to find out how many pairs they produced if it was only the ones for the patent model try to find the auction record of who bought them at the US Patent office Auction......for a short history on patent models go to ...........http://patentmodelassociation.com/history.html...................................

.............................................................And If they did make a few pairs,where are the others??????????????.......This is it....This is Your Chance........THESE CUFFS ARE REAL......THESE CUFFS ARE BEAUTIFUL.........AND THESE CUFFS ARE UP FOR GRABS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!............As they used to say on the carousel........."Sometimes You Only Get One Chance To Grab The Brass Ring"

Good Luck - eBay (22 May 2011)

This amazing set of restraints had a high bid of $6,766 (Plus $10.25 Shipping).
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