Big old iron lock

[wvdirtdigger]

Dug this crusty old lock up in a wooded area where I found a 1841 seated half dime a few years ago. I would love to know the age of it but the corrosion has taken its toll as to finding any identifying marks on it. Still an exciting recovery non the less

 

[creade]

The makers name would have been on the lock cover.I found one similiar,my guess is 1850-60

 

[Dug]

The makers name would have been on the lock cover.I found one similiar,my guess is 1850-60

I agree. My experience has been that those old iron heart shaped padlocks with the brass keyhole covers, or swings, date civil war and earlier. As Creade pointed out you can sometimes get a makers mark, in the form of letters or once in while a crown etc.

Here is a later period (late 1800s) swing as an example:

 

[wvdirtdigger]

Ok here is a pic of the cover. There are 5 marks at the top the wording says PATENT.