Yale Lock found but is it an early one?

[Don in SJ]

I got out detecting for a few hours this morning and the only find worth mentioning was this cute little lock which I believe is a One Inch Model. I am not sure how lock companies measured them but they sold them as 1 inch 3 inch and so forth.....

I could not make out much on the lock without cleaning it so I took some steel wool to it and almost all of the writing is now visible. I wondered how old this Yale Lock might be and did a bit of googling and I really am not sure. The area found could have it be a very early lock or more likely 1918 era one, since it is close to a large area that was active during the WWI war.

However, after being able to read the Patent Dates on it(1876 & 1877) and knowing there were later locks with Patent Dates of the 1890's, I kind of feel it might be an earlier Yale Lock, rather than 20th Century, but just do not know .

I took as many photos of the lock and hope there is enough information there to narrow down the time frame, either way, it is another nice lock for my display case.

I got nowhere in researching the association between Ashworth Bros. Manchester that is stamped on the bottom. Maybe they were the distributor of the lock?

The company name at the top says YALE LOCK MFG CO not YALE & TOWNE, which was on many of the locks, if that helps.......

Don

 

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[Colonial Zoyboy]

Have you done the peroxide method on it yet?

Whatever time period it is from, it is still an ancient relic dropped by one of our ancestas. Great relic indeed, Don.

Bone Dry Detecting...KylePa

 

[Colonial KirkPA]

If you don't mind me asking, what was the VDI number? This could help me identify the time frame for you.

BDD...Kirk

 

[Derek752]

Don did you search eBay ?..I've identified locks I dug for sale on there

 

[Don in SJ]

Don did you search eBay ?..I've identified locks I dug for sale on there

There is an identical lock on e-bay but I believe the individual is using the patent dates to give the age of it, and I believe that is not necessarily correct. The one on ebay says it is an 1870's lock. (Not exactly good reference material in my opnion)

Item number: 230201784148

Don

 

[civilman1]

I think the "inch" size could be the size of the "shackle" Don,most of the time's a padlock's size was determined by this....Cool find though,can't put a date on it.Happy Holiday's and HH!!

 

[strike it rich]

Sure I see the date feb 1878 anyone else see it

 

[aa battery]

Nice lock don i didnt know Yale was that old....aa

 

[DiggerBug]

Nice lock! And it's in great shape.
The ones I've found don't look near that good.
WTG!

 

[Michigan Badger]

Nice find Don. I always like finding locks but most of mine are in very bad shape.

Badger

 

[ModernMiner]

Nice find Don. I always like finding locks but most of mine are in very bad shape.

Badger

Me too MB.

Congrats Don. Great looking old lock.
-MM-

 

[Brendan M.]

Nice lock!

I found a very similar one this summer at an old school dating as far back as the turn of the century, but before that it was a huge estate, so who knows. Mine says "Yale & Towne Mfg Co" on one side and "Stamford, Conn, USA" on the other. Nothing on the bottom/keyhole side.

Anyway, I've attached pics. Let me know if you find out anything interesting about yours!

Cheers and HH,
Bman

 

[Stormtrooper154]

Heres mine

 

[Don in SJ]

Bman and Stormtrooper, thanks for posting yours, I see both of them say YALE & TOWNE MFG and not just Yale Lock Mfg, and Bman, thanks for posting the other side, which appears also not to have those patent dates on it.

So, I am sure one is an earlier version of the lock, just not sure which one.

Locks make nice display cabinet items.

Don

 

[PBK]

The name Yale Lock Mfg. Co. was used from 1868 to 1883 (some sources say 1881), followed by Yale & Towne Mfg. Co.

So, along with the patent dates on your lock (which I believe is a variety of the Yale #800 series), that would indicate a fairly narrow date range of 1877-83. Split the difference and call it c. 1880.

 

[Don in SJ]

The name Yale Lock Mfg. Co. was used from 1868 to 1883 (some sources say 1881), followed by Yale & Towne Mfg. Co.

So, along with the patent dates on your lock (which I believe is a variety of the Yale #800 series), that would indicate a fairly narrow date range of 1877-83. Split the difference and call it c. 1880.

Thanks PBK

Perhaps the Ashworth Bros on the bottom of the lock were the distributors.

 

[Colonial KirkPA]

The name Yale Lock Mfg. Co. was used from 1868 to 1883 (some sources say 1881), followed by Yale & Towne Mfg. Co.

So, along with the patent dates on your lock (which I believe is a variety of the Yale #800 series), that would indicate a fairly narrow date range of 1877-83. Split the difference and call it c. 1880.

As Don would probably state, "Too new. LOL" Gotcha ya, Don!

What is the weather like in SJ?

BDD...Kirk

 

[strike it rich]

So When I said I could see 1878 feb I wasnt just seeing things omg what a relief