Hello MStoddard -

I think I can help you. The VR stands for Victoria Regina or Queen Victoria. The firm of Abraham Thompson of Willenhall, England manufactured padlocks with the letters VR under a crown. According to the web site "A Gazetter of Lock and Key Makers," A. Thompson imported locks to the United States. Go to this web site for further infomation.

One observation I made was that the padlocks illustrated here had the company name under the crown and VR letters. Your padlock does not, but I still think it probably was made by Abraham Thompson.

Scott