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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2014
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    2
    Country: Australia

    Default Hobbs & Co lever padlock

    Can anyone give me some info on this padlock pls?

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    216
    Country: United States

    Default Hobbs & Co lever padlock

    The name Hobbs & Co. indicates the lock was made between 1852 and 1856. Afterwards the company was called Hobbs, Ashley & Co and still later Hobbs, Hart & Co. Its founder, Alfred C. Hobbs, an American, is famous in lock history for picking all the best locks of that time.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    2
    Country: Australia

    Thumbs up Scott

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Klemm View Post
    The name Hobbs & Co. indicates the lock was made between 1852 and 1856. Afterwards the company was called Hobbs, Ashley & Co and still later Hobbs, Hart & Co. Its founder, Alfred C. Hobbs, an American, is famous in lock history for picking all the best locks of that time.
    Thanks very much for the info. Would you have any idea on value I paid$10 so wanted to see if I got a good deal?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    73
    Country: UK

    Default Hobbs & Co lever padlock

    In my opinion this lock was not made by Hobbs & Co.
    If you look closely you will see that the letters "BB" in the word Hobbs have been altered from "PP""
    This padlock was made in the Indian Sub- Continent ,branded Hopps & co and not in London as the
    stamping on the swing drop would suggest.
    Patent

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Odell Ne
    Posts
    581
    Country: United States

    Default

    Regardless of who made the lock, the one thing that would make this lock a no buy for me is the fact that someone at sometime in the past has opened the lock body. You can see the file marks and the crude reriveting of the case rivets. It's hard for me to tell from the picture if the B's in the Hobbs name are right or not, Either way, I think you did alright at $10 for a working lock. Mark
    Mark A. Billesbach

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    216
    Country: United States

    Default Hobbs & Co lever padlock

    After reading the other comments, I think that it may have indeed originated in India. It seemed a little too rough and crude compared to the Hobbs & Co. padlock in my collection. At the time I wrote my response, I just assumed it had been subjected to harsher conditions than mine. For comparison, here is a picture of mine.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails CIMG1087.JPG  

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    73
    Country: UK

    Default Hobbs & Co lever padlock

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Klemm View Post
    After reading the other comments, I think that it may have indeed originated in India. It seemed a little too rough and crude compared to the Hobbs & Co. padlock in my collection. At the time I wrote my response, I just assumed it had been subjected to harsher conditions than mine. For comparison, here is a picture of mine.
    Nice padlock, Scott.
    Image attached showing range of open Shackle padlocks available in Hobbs Hart and Co. Ltd. 1948 catalogue.

    Patent
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Hobbs & co. Open Shackle Padlock.JPG  

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    216
    Country: United States

    Default Hobbs & Co lever padlock

    The image from the 1948 catalog suggests that the name alone cannot be used to date a Hobbs padlock. The padlock shown is marked Hobbs & Co. instead of Hobbs Hart. It's curious that they didn't make the name change. This is not helpful to the collector. But, maybe the company simply used an old illustration.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    73
    Country: UK

    Default Hobbs & Co lever padlock

    As you say,Scott,dating can be tricky.
    Think of Hobb's and Co. being the trademark of a Company that changed name 4 times between 1852 and 1974.
    Very occasionally you can come across a lock marked Hobbs Hart & Co. Ltd.
    Patent

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    259
    Country: UK

    Default Hobbs lock company name

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Klemm View Post
    The image from the 1948 catalog suggests that the name alone cannot be used to date a Hobbs padlock. The padlock shown is marked Hobbs & Co. instead of Hobbs Hart. It's curious that they didn't make the name change. This is not helpful to the collector. But, maybe the company simply used an old illustration.
    When he set up the company, with the help of some financial investors, Alfred Hobbs decreed that the company's products should always be marked only as 'HOBBS'. That continued, regardless of the legal name of the company, even after Hobbs' death, when the company became Hobbs Hart Co., Hart having managed the company for many years. All products continued to be marked 'HOBBS' until the company joined the Chubb group.

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