🔎 UNIDENTIFIED I've been searching for answers about this lock for a couple of years now, got ahold of historical societies, relatives of Town (allegedly), no luck

[Jeff Foster]

 

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[Jeff Foster]

What I have found so far is that it has a Climax body design, It's plated (According to a jeweler) which is why it has shiny spots in the photos, almost like a camo pattern and I'm going to assume someone lost the key or stole whatever contents it was attached to as it looks like it was hit with a hammer.

 

[Mackaydon]

In 1868 Yale and Towne founded the Yale Lock Mft. Co. then changed the name in 1883 to the Yale and Towne Mft. Co. That name lasted to 1963, the age range of your lock's manufacture.
Have you inquired at the University of Connecticut library (archives section). They have extensive historic holdings of the company.
Don in SoCal.

 

[Jeff Foster]

In 1868 Yale and Towne founded the Yale Lock Mft. Co. then changed the name in 1883 to the Yale and Towne Mft. Co. That name lasted to 1963, the age range of your lock's manufacture.
Have you inquired at the University of Connecticut library (archives section). They have extensive historic holdings of the company.
Don in SoCal.

I have not, the age range will be helpful information, I appreciate that. Did a little digging on the company but I must have missed that bit of information about the name change. Wish I could find a picture of someone else who owns one online but no luck, Its definitely a unique lock...thats giving me a headache lol

 

[invent4hir]

UCONN Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company Collection

Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company Collection | UConn Library

Important Update (4/2016): Our Yale & Towne Collection has been moved from UConn Stamford campus to the UConn Storrs campus, Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center. The Y&T Oral histories have been placed on our digital repository: Yale and Towne Oral H ...

lib.uconn.edu

 

[invent4hir]

Been looking at lots of pictures for a Y&T lock with a similar zigzag pattern on the body. Not found anything close. Could the lock body have been ground/filed down and maybe the zigzag pattern been done? Reason I wonder is the 3 pins lack rounded heads and high points in the body are uneven.

Is there a number stamped on the bottom or elsewhere?

 

[devldog]

That is a nice looking lock. Congrat's.

 

[Bramblefind]

Finally found one that looks close -- it was in a group lot and it looks like there are only images of it from one side.

8 ANTIQUE PADLOCKS - MILLER, YALE, ,XHH US, EAGLE, YALE JUNIOR, CLIMAX, US MAIL | #1898071896

8 ANTIQUE PADLOCKS - MILLER, YALE, ,XHH US, EAGLE, YALE JUNIOR, CLIMAX, US MAIL8OLD LOCKS - SOME HAVE KEYS - PLEASE LOOK OVER PHOTOS FOR MORE DETAILS - THANKS FOR LOOKING.

www.worthpoint.com

 

[cw0909]

yale made locks with logos for,banks, military , R&R, ect. I just can't determine what market
that design would be for, searching yale jr. lock logos, these sites came up, maybe check
with them for info on your lock

YALE LOGO PADLOCK GUIDE

Yale - Early Locks - Antique Padlocks

 

[ColtsPop]

From the design, I would say it is likely 1920s.

 

[cw0909]

I looked around the link Bramblefind posted,found another lock & looks like the same
band thing, hash marks, rivets, except it say climax. Did yale own climax

3 Antique Vintage Padlocks Locks no Keys Yale Climax Abus Germany | #1867117959

These old used, tarnished locks have no keys.

www.worthpoint.com

 

[Jeff Foster]

Sorry to leave you all hanging, both my managers came down sick with covid so I've been running things alone and have not have the opportunity to check in. Thank you all so much for the information and effort, I will absolutely dig into those leads when I have a moment.

 

[Jeff Foster]

Been looking at lots of pictures for a Y&T lock with a similar zigzag pattern on the body. Not found anything close. Could the lock body have been ground/filed down and maybe the zigzag pattern been done? Reason I wonder is the 3 pins lack rounded heads and high points in the body are uneven.

Is there a number stamped on the bottom or elsewhere?

I hope this picture helps, 1 pin is flush, 1 is rounded and 1 is flat but raised. There are no visible numbers but I dont think there was any. The locks been underground for a long time but is in great shape, so much so that all lettering and numbers are/would be in tacked.

 

[Jeff Foster]

about the only conclusion I've come up with is that it may have been a custom lock for someone with money for something like a jewellery box, it would explain the electroplating and inability to find it among something that was mass produced.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Yale locks and Climax locks are two separate companies that produce their own line of locks.

 

[Jeff Foster]

Yale locks and Climax locks are two separate companies that produce their own line of locks.

I'm fully aware of that...to have a (company name) design would not necessarily make it from that company, just that the look from said company was borrowed/stolen. In this locks case it would also be reasonable to assume that the latch and body could have been joined together from two separate locks. Not sure why anyone but a locksmith would want to do that but the possibility is still there. Then you have the electroplating aspect, why electroplate something that you cobbled together if it is indeed two separate locks?

 

[Clay Diggins]

From the pictures I would guess your lock is either the large 8 x 10 foot Goliath lock or a very small brass ornamental lock.

I'm going with the very small brass ornamental lock. It is not made of bronze as you would expect of a serious lock. From the impact marks it's a soft metal - brass. Bronze doesn't deform as easily as brass and is much tougher. Also your lock appears to be two halves pinned together - not something you would expect to see in a serious lock.

Your lock is not gold plated. It's not possible to directly gold plate on brass, bronze or copper because the copper in the metals diffuses into the thin gold plating and creates a copper/gold alloy that tarnishes rapidly. Before plating any metal with a copper content it's necessary to plate another metal onto the bronze before plating with gold. That metal is almost always nickel. There is no sign of a nickle plating on your lock.

My best guess is that this is an ornamental lock that was engraved on the surface after the lock was manufactured. Whether that was done by a third party or by Yale is the only mystery I see in this little (or huge) lock.