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  1. #51

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    Quote Originally Posted by Retro00064 View Post
    @BBE: GREAT, RARE find!! Someday I hope to start hunting estate sales, etc., also for rare stuff like this. Was this an active or defunct hardware store or locksmith shop?

    The #47 was most assuredly not Master's first corrugated-keyed lock. One of, if not the first model(s) with corrugated keys was the #300 "Gem" no later than about 1927 I believe. There are several corrugated-keyed warded models listed in the October 1931 The Master Padlock magazine.
    Yes, I should have looked that up first. It may have been their first corrugated lever lock key since the lock was produced first in 1936. It was finally discontinued in 1948. The 47 was called the Tiger.

    I did not know either that there were nickel-plated brass keys made. As I mentioned earlier, I have a couple of 1930s-'40s #3 padlocks and a walking-lion #77 of similar vintage, all N.O.S. in box, with (apparently) brass keys (not nickel plated, though), making the nickel-silver vs. brass situation a bit murky, so this find adds to the mix. The #400 keys are not the earliest style for that model; this style may have been introduced in the early 1930s (the 1931 magazine shows an earlier style).

    May I ask what models the N.O.S. padlocks you found are? The rare boxes of key blanks (especially the earlier ones in the middle row) are items that I'd be very interested in acquiring if possible, and possibly one or more of the padlocks as well depending on what they are.

    I hope to post another couple replies to this thread later today that I've been meaning to get done and posted for a number of days now, one of which will include photos of some 1920s-'30s warded Master locks.

    Zachary.
    There was very few locks available at this old hardware store. The top flap of the box for the 510 is gone but the others are just shelf worn. (Phone Picture below.) I didn't know they had done any blister packing before either, but that is a #55 lock which I haven't found any dates on yet. I'll probably end up putting them on Ebay.
    BBE.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #52

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    that is a #55 lock which I haven't found any dates on yet. I'll probably end up putting them on Ebay.
    PS. I did find info on the 66 lock. It was first produced under that number in 1945, so that is probably a likely date for everything that was there. The 66 of course is the lock that spent the first 14 years of it's life marked as 99. I was told the machinist who made the die put the number in upside-down and they didn't fix it until they needed to remake the die.
    BBE.

  3. #53
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Frankfurt Main
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    705
    Country: Germany

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    Interesting fact

    I would be interested in one of the 66 and one of the 44 padlocks in red box. Let me know if they are available.

  4. #54
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    Toronto, Ca
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    Country: Canada

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    Well, they were several lines of premium security lock products. Master Lock is the most recognized brand of locks, with padlocks and combination locks constituting its primary base of business. Cool!

  5. #55
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    Jan 2012
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    Meant to get this reply posted weeks ago , oh well might as well get it in anyway.

    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian Weber View Post
    [...]

    I will keep looking for the other ones missing now but I nearly have everything I wanted so far. [...]
    Stuff that should be high on the desirability list for a Master Lock collector are the early warded padlocks made in the 1920s and 1930s. Master made several different warded padlock models back then, with one, two, or three locking springs, or even one (in the case of the #105 "Jewel") or two locking levers (in the case of the adjustable shackle padlocks, as well as the highest-end regular ones, the 2"-wide (similar to the No. 5 pin tumbler padlock in size) #905-908 "Super" padlocks, locking both the heel and toe of the shackle). Several of these models had the sides of the case ground smooth, hiding the joints between the plates, and the earliest padlocks produced prior to some point early in the second half of the 1920s additionally had the rivet heads ground off. The case was also painted black up to sometime in the 1920s not too long after the rivet heads stopped being ground. After Master introduced the "Secret Service" pin tumbler padlocks in the 1930s, they discontinued many of the warded models, with the last of the ground models, the #1400 "Special", being produced until (I'm told) the early '40s.

    Below are some examples of early Master items, ranging from a (rare N.O.S., albeit patinated) 1930s-40s #1400 "Special" to a very rare "PAT. PEND." Master laminated padlock from before Harry Soref's April 22, 1924 patent, as well as a very rare and obscure Master Door Guard (pat. no. 1,538,599), an early Master product made until some point in the mid 1920s or so.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Early Master padlock 1.jpg   Early Master Padlock 2 (with text).jpg   Master #103 Door Guard 1.jpg   Master #103 Door Guard 2.jpg   Master #300 and #400.jpg  

    Master #300 and #400 b.jpg   Master #400 duplicate key with tag.jpg   Master #400 Ace.jpg   Master #450 hasplock 1 (with text).jpg   Master #1400 Special.jpg  


  6. #56
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Very well documented information Retro and thanks for sharing this with us!

    This already answers one of my questions
    As I am more interested in the pin tumbler padlocks I will leave the warded ones mainly to you . I do have a really nice Strong Boy here though that I will post detailed pictures of later!

    Do you have any idea how to identify or determine which padlock + its box design is the earliest secret service pin tumbler version?

    Thanks!

    Adrian

  7. #57
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    USA
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    53
    Country: United States

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    Another reply I intended to do a while ago...

    Quote Originally Posted by Donnie View Post
    [...]
    I never liked Master Lock's....
    But don't you like the cool box designs that Master used for many of their locks during the 1930s and well into the 1940s? "Packed only as MASTER packs them."

    (Note: these photos don't appear to do 100% justice to the actual saturation of the box colors, particularly in the red or red-orange colors.)
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Master #1.JPG   Master #1 box back.JPG   Master #3 and #4.jpg   Master #3 and #4 box backs.jpg   Master #5.jpg  

    Master #5 box back.jpg  

  8. #58
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Frankfurt Main
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    Love them Retro, love them!!!

    So are these the oldest designs? I have NEVER seen these packages before or lets say I have seen the night guard but not the cutaway on the back! Very nice and I am a bit envious now if you ever see another one like that let me know but I am sure you will.

    What about the package with the walking lion on it and the USN stamped on the bottom, is this one older or newer than the ones you have just posted? (you probably explained that to me already but I have not sorted all the information yet)

    Here is a newer piece I just got
    I will post pictures of the older pieces later.

    Adrian
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 001.Masterlock - 50 Years Gold Plated Padlock.JPG   001.Masterlock - 50 Years Gold Plated Padlock (3).JPG  

  9. #59

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian Weber View Post
    Love them Retro, love them!!!

    Here is a newer piece I just got
    I will post pictures of the older pieces later.

    Adrian
    That gold plated lock had a double use. 1. It was the 50th anniversary lock made in 1971. 2. It was given to employees who celebrated 50 years of employment. Every one of them is KA and there were hundreds, no one I talked to knew exactly how many were made but there were around 200 of the locks stored in engineering. They may have been thrown away when engineering moved to the new headquarters in Oak Creek.
    BBE.

  10. #60
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    148
    Country: United States

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    The locksmith I visited Saturday had a couple older Master lock displays. Next time I go to the shop I will take some pictures.

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