Antique and Vintage Locks and Padlocks

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The first locks were quite simple—a wooden beam that was slid across a door. This concept, however, only worked if you were inside the room you wanted to lock. To remedy this, ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians devised “pin-tumbler” locks,...
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The first locks were quite simple—a wooden beam that was slid across a door. This concept, however, only worked if you were inside the room you wanted to lock. To remedy this, ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians devised “pin-tumbler” locks, basically wooden-beam locks that could be opened from the outside with a wooden key. The beam was released from the tumblers that held it in place, and the key then pushed the beam into the desired position, locking or unlocking the door. The ancient Romans took this concept a step further, inventing pin-tumbler locks forged of bronze, iron, or precious metals, whose keys lifted metal pins and moved the beam aside. The Romans also came up with the concept of wards, or obstructions, that a key must pass by to work. Ancient doors were guarded by lions, dragons, bulls, dogs, and other animal totems representing the gods—these images also appeared on early locks. The Romans and the Chinese independently introduced the concept of the portable padlock. Padlocks were popular and widely used throughout the ages, as they were often cheaper than door locks and could be used to secure everything from cupboards and trunks to safes and jewelry boxes. Swedish padlocks from the Middle Ages are noted for their large arched-swing shackles. Chinese padlocks, meanwhile, are admired for their animal shapes. Iron was the most common material for locks made in medieval Europe because it was believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits that might try to enter homes or churches through keyholes. Locks often were forged with images of a dragon's head on them, which was meant to scare away demons. Around the 16th century, lock design became less about function or superstition and more about decor, thanks to the flamboyant and frilly baroque and rococo styles introduced in France. The throne demanded the most talented craftsmen for every detail of the palaces, right down to the door knobs, door plates, locks, and keys. European...
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