Thread: Very old, rare Master padlock! Need info please!!!

Let me tell you, I have seen thousands of Master padlocks in my day......they were, after all, the #1 lock maker in the world at some point and are the most commonly used lock in America. That said, I have to share this new find with all of my fellow lock collectors! I just bought a box of 33 padlocks and a few keys at an antique store. After sorting things out, I found a few cool items.......a small Scandinavian padlock, a Scandi key that did not fit said Scandi lock, an old European padlock, several 6 lever double bitted key locks, a very small hinge shackle mail lock, this list goes on. Along with the cool stuff were several junk locks; mostly Master locks (#1, #3, #7, #22, #44, #66....the usual). Out of the pile of junk locks, I found one that caught my eye! It was really dirty so I could not read the maker's logo on it, but when I got it cleaned up, the maker was clear, "Master". In all my years, I have never seen one like this (maybe it has eluded me???).....so here it is:








Okay, so how is this lock unusual??? Notice that this lock is laminated steel (like all of Master's locks in the beginning) but it has been smoothed down and has some sort of anti-rust coating on it; unlike on thier later design (compare it to the old Master #1 next to it in this photo):



Also, Notice how tall this lock is compared to a Master #1 pin-tumbler lock.

Now take a look at the shackle:



I have checked almost all of my Master locks and all of them either have nothing , Hardened, or Case Hard stamped into the shackle......this odd-ball has "Master" stamped into that spot reserved for "Hardened".

Now let's have a look at the top of the lock case:



This writing on the older lock is much different than the more modern one (as is the logo on the bottom of the lock by the key hole). Speaking of keyhole, look at the difference between a normal Master wared lock and this odd-ball (no lightening bolt, grooved keyway, just a flat, straight one):



And finally, look at the shackle where it meets the lock body:



There is no cut-away for the locking spring showing on the odd-ball......the spring locks the shackle farther down on this lock.

So, any ideas about this lock???? I can not find any pictures or info anywhere on the web for this lock. I would assume that it may be one of the first ones that Master made in the 1920's. I know that Master is not a very collectible type of lock, but I hope that someone knows something about it. BTW, the key in the first picture did not come with the lock; I made it yesterday from a brass safe deposit box key blank so don't make any assumptions based on the key. Thanks in advance for all of your input! :D

Cheers, Mike D~C/