Help!!!!!!!!!!!

[corben1120]

I am stumped on this and apologize on the poor picture. It has a W stamped in it and some other design above it. My wife is thinking a piece to an old clock or wind mill. Help

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

It is a brass keyhole-cover from an antique padlock. They date anywhere from the 1700s into the first part of the 20th-century. Yours looks like an earlier version -- especially since the front of the iron-bodied lock it's on has rusted to bits.

Post a well-focused closeup photo of the marking on it and we might be able to narrow down the timerange for you.

 

[corben1120]

so your thinking 20th century?? or later and also what would the W stand for? thanks for your help

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

No... I said yours looks earlier than 20th-Century (and might be a LOT earlier). The "W" might stand for Warranted ...which on padlocks (and certain other items) is a British term for "guaranteed." Or the W might be part of a WR mark, which stands for William Rex. I'm more interested in seeing the other marking you mentioned, because it might be a British Crown, which would mean your padlock keyhole-cover was made in Britain.

 

[corben1120]

ok thanks i will try to get a better picture really quick and post it

 

[corben1120]

more pictures

I have attached some better pictures i hope this helps

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The letter W and partial mark above it have the correct orientation to be the "WR below a crown" marking on British-made padlocks produced during the reign of Britain's King William IV, 1830-37. (See the orientation of the markings in the photo attached below.) The crown with WR marking stands for "William, Rex" which is Latin for "William, [the] King." Also, your keyhole-cover's shape is correct for that era. So, although much of the marking is indistinct, that's my "educated guess" about the marking on your padlock keyhole-cover, and its time-period.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I thought you wanted IDed the big steel piece underneath it. Time to quit.