Age ID need on US pad lock

[gary s fl]

Dug this at an old park about 8" down buried in clay. EX II digital reading 00 29. Probably brass. 'US' is on both sides. Possibly military WWI era but haven't been able to match it. Thanks for help.

 

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[PBK]

Nice relic! It's a warded brass padlock made around 100-110 years ago. Most aren't marked, but Franklin M. Arnall's The Padlock Collector identifies the maker as the E. T. Fraim Lock Co. of Lancaster, PA. Although it's sometimes listed as a lock from a U.S. mail bag, and on eBay some sellers have also called it a military lock, in fact it was a retail item sold in local hardware stores and mail order catalogs— not an official government lock. "US" was just the model name. When RFD mail delivery began, many people bought these "US" locks to use on rural mailboxes. There were also locks with "MAIL," "RR" (for Rural Route), and other official-looking names that were sold for the same purpose.

 

[gary s fl]

PBK...your the man! Great info. Thank you. Gary

 

[BobinSouthVA]

For comparison, here is an RFD lock I dug a few months ago.