Antique Padlock, you thoughts?

[AusDig]

Hi Everyone

A couple of days I was working a park on the Mid North Coast, NSW, Australia.

Using CTX3030 running a discrimination pattern to only find Australian $1 and $2 coins I hit a target at 10". It ID`d exactly as per these coins but upon
retrieval turned out to be what appears an antique padlock of some kind.

I`ve done numerous searches trying to find dates and history on this park to no avail, but based on coins I`ve found I`m guessing it has been in use at least since the mid 1950`s.

The padlock has no wording whatsoever, just an ornate pattern as per the pictures.

I`d be really interested to hear peoples thoughts on its age etc.

Many thanks in advance
Happy Hunting

 

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[GA_Boy]

I just searched around 4,000 pictures and found NOTHING like yours.
Antique padlock Stock Photo Images. 3,786 Antique padlock royalty free pictures and photos available to download from thousands of stock photographers.
I think it may be 1-5 or so made by a Blacksmith and not manufactured by a company. I don't know enough about antique locks to be sure.
Marvin
Looked at a Gazillion more pic-------------no find.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ant...X&ved=0ahUKEwissPGi3fjKAhVG5CYKHcNTCC8Q7AkIOQ

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I haven't seen one with that exact exterior design, but I have seen those type shackle-top parts that go into the flat type old padlocks. And in one such case, there was a patent date on it from the 1890s. So 1890's (turn-of-century-ish) is a safe date guess.

 

[GA_Boy]

I think Tom is right as the key goes into the bottom of the lock and not the side.
Marvin

 

[AusDig]

Many thanks for the feedback everyone, its greatly appreciated.

I`ll include three more pictures that may shed a little more light on this lock.

I`ve taken one adjacent to my hand to give an idea of lock size. Another is taken of the underside which shows the keyhole. And another side-on which shows what to me appears to be three "layers" that comprise this lock.
There seems to be two outer layers (brass?) and an inner layer.

I too googled thousands of images of padlocks and scrolled through them to find something similar, but without a brand name or any writing/lettering whatsoever its kind of hard to identify.

Again, many thanks for the feedback.

 

[Icewing]

I believe the keystone symbol means it was made by the ET Fraim Lock Co, of Lancaster, Pa

Update: I found this on eBay, item Number 272134622173
http://m.ebay.ca/itm/Vtg-Genuine-An...ded-Padlock-Lock-Key-/272134622173?nav=SEARCH

 

[GA_Boy]

I finally found it.
Marvin

Vtg Genuine Antique Miniature E T Fraim Small Brass Warded Padlock Lock Key | eBay

 

[AusDig]

WOW !! Thank you SO SO much for the outstanding detective work !

Once ET Fraim was mentioned it gave me something to work off and I was intrigued to see the keystone etc matching.

The EBay image is definitely the same lock (albeit the Ebay lock is in a much better condition lol).

The next challenge I`ll try and find out the vintage of the lock and see what year its from.

Amazing that this lock has ended up on a journey from the USA and ended up 10" underground in Eastern Australia.

I`m guessing that on the Ebay item the numerals stamped into the shackle (70) would indicate its year of manufacture was 1870? I can vaguely remember reading somewhere that the
date of manufacture was stamped somewhere on the lock?

Thanks again everyone !!

 

[Trezurehunter]

I dont know anything about it, but its a great looking lock.

 

[Icewing]

Ya, if you really want to make it look good you might try a bit of glass stove top cleaner.

 

[AusDig]

Thanks mate will certainly try the glass stove top cleaner.

I haven't used it before, I usually use a brass polish we have here called Brasso, but I`m sure we have some glass stovetop
cleaner here somewhere.

There seems to be a bit of "pitting" on the lock, which is no surprise given the amount of time its been underground.

One thing I will do is start mapping this parks finds with the GPS in the CTX3030....there seem to be clusters of coins and it`d be interesting to see how these show
on map overlays.

Happy Hunting.