Seal Padlocks

**Brian Morland** · 11-10-09 12:18 PM

A couple of seal padlocks from the collection. The first is a Douglas design made by Wallsall Locks and Cart Gear,

and the other a Hobbs made Tucker and Reeves design.

These are commonly referred to as customs and excise padlocks. There are a couple of points that I would like to raise. The first is: Is there any knowledge as to other departments, other than Customs and Excise, usage of this type of lock. The other is does anybody have examples of the paper seals that were used. Its rumoured that these were complicated designs like may be found on banknotes.

**Halflock** · 11-10-09 08:06 PM

The US IRS use to use them on rum shipments when they hit dirt. Also I hear that they were used on document containers when they were in transient.

**Tom Gordon** · 11-10-09 09:55 PM

The seals that I have seen have been rather cheap looking and not very complicated.

**Brian Morland** · 12-10-09 05:21 PM

Tom – Do you recall if it was a Douglas or a Tucker and Reeves. I’m convinced that other government departments as well as other Governments used these locks. A few years back Josiah Parks put out a calendar in which one of the photos was of a Douglas and described as a Foreign Office specification lock used on diplomatic bags. There is another Douglas in the collection that came from one of the Royal Navy’s WW1 ordinance factories.

I’m sure there must have been many variations of the paper seals. Were the plain ones you had seen watermarked and/or serial numbered and with a space for a signature?

**Tom Gordon** · 13-10-09 01:52 PM

To be honest my memory is shady on them as it was a long while ago but I believe that they were serial numbered and very little more. I have no idea on the watermarking.

**Brian Morland** · 14-10-09 06:33 PM

This is a picture of the Union calendar image, which we framed a few years back, and now graces the office wall.

The description reads – ‘Brass Padlock, English, 19th Century. A high security fitting. Eight levers. Designed to Foreign Office specification for locking diplomatic bags. Josiah Parkes Collection’.
Hopefully other members/visitors/collectors can add to this thread with other versions of their seal padlocks.

**ambirr** · 26-05-10 05:11 PM

I have recently obtained this lock and am very interested to see if anyone can tell me how old it is. The markings on it are as follows . Top has the Crown with an E inside (Is this Elizabeth 1st ?). It then has I.R and Excise, then Douglas Patent, then the Makers name Tucker & Reeve London Makers. The lock itself measures 14 cms (approx 6 inches) x 8.5 cms (3 & 1/2 inches) is numbered 609 on both the key and the front. It is made of solid Brass. Thanks in advance for any assistance.