Welcome to our world exploring the Historical, Political and Technological aspects of Locks, Keys and Safes

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    6
    Country: United States

    Default Dating a Mid-20th Century Desk from the Lock

    This may be a fools errand, but I am attempting to get an idea of how old a solid wood office/teachers desk is from the center drawer lock.

    The desk appears to be all hardwood with a top constructed from planks of tiger maple. The sides are painted tan (which I will be fixing in my restoration) but they are all wood, with dovetail joined drawers, and the almost complete lack of metal tends to make me think somewhere around WWII, but I'm hoping the lock will give me some clues.

    From my research it appears to be a National Lock PU573, surface mount mortis lock and is more than a little faded by time based on the oxidation of the brass (after I removed the four flathead wood screws holding it to the inside of the center drawer). I'm just trying to get an idea of the timeframe this lock would have been in service. Google has not turned up much in the way of dating this lock's manufacturing period.

    See the attached pictures and help would be appreciated.


    Thanks,


    Bryan
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Desk.jpg   PU573 Side.jpg   PU573 Back.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Devon UK
    Posts
    3,117
    Country: UK

    Default

    Are there alloy diecast bits in there?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    6
    Country: United States

    Default

    What is the best way to figure that out? I'm a furniture guy not a log guy :)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Devon UK
    Posts
    3,117
    Country: UK

    Default

    try scratching the bolt with a steel nail

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    6
    Country: United States

    Default

    I scratched the bolt with a 3" 16d steel finish nail and it was pretty tough. Didn't make much of a mark on the bolt at all. After some pressure and scratching several times it really didn't mark it much more, very light scratches, and really only seemed to get past the oxidation layer exposing brighter brass.

    I'm guessing this tells us the lock is an older vintage rather than a younger one?

    Your help is appreciated,

    B.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ignatow View Post
    This may be a fools errand, but I am attempting to get an idea of how old a solid wood office/teachers desk is from the center drawer lock.

    The desk appears to be all hardwood with a top constructed from planks of tiger maple. The sides are painted tan (which I will be fixing in my restoration) but they are all wood, with dovetail joined drawers, and the almost complete lack of metal tends to make me think somewhere around WWII, but I'm hoping the lock will give me some clues.

    From my research it appears to be a National Lock PU573, surface mount mortis lock and is more than a little faded by time based on the oxidation of the brass (after I removed the four flathead wood screws holding it to the inside of the center drawer). I'm just trying to get an idea of the timeframe this lock would have been in service. Google has not turned up much in the way of dating this lock's manufacturing period.
    See the attached pictures and help would be appreciated.
    Thanks,Bryan
    PU573 is the key code, I found a very similar National Cabinet Lock, No. 68-6703B; in a 1960s supplier catalog. Your desk is likely from that era. National Cabinet Lock, once located in Rockford, IL; and now known as CompX National of Mauldin, SC; has been in business since 1903.

    Pete Schifferli

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    6
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pschiffe View Post
    PU573 is the key code, I found a very similar National Cabinet Lock, No. 68-6703B; in a 1960s supplier catalog. Your desk is likely from that era. National Cabinet Lock, once located in Rockford, IL; and now known as CompX National of Mauldin, SC; has been in business since 1903.

    Pete Schifferli
    It's quite possible the lock is from that era. I believe the desk to be at least that old (based on the story from the person I got it from years ago). Do you have pictures from the catalog? Also do you happen to know how far back that style of lock might have been manufactured with that key code? And I'm wondering does the 68- in the lock code refer to the year, or is that just a coincidence?

    I did already know to contact CompX National, unfortunately their reply in response to helping to identify the lock was "Most of the information you are looking for is no longer available."

    Thanks,

    Bryan

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ignatow View Post
    It's quite possible the lock is from that era. I believe the desk to be at least that old (based on the story from the person I got it from years ago). Do you have pictures from the catalog? Also do you happen to know how far back that style of lock might have been manufactured with that key code? And I'm wondering does the 68- in the lock code refer to the year, or is that just a coincidence?
    I did already know to contact CompX National, unfortunately their reply in response to helping to identify the lock was "Most of the information you are looking for is no longer available."
    Thanks,
    Bryan
    1. I am posting the image that you requested, click on the thumbnail to enlarge. Unfortunately no descriptive material accompanied the illustration.
    2. I am presuming that this is a wafer tumbler lock, those became commonplace after WW2, although some few were made earlier; eventually replacing most all of the older lever tumbler locks. The key code can be used to make a key, but I have no idea of the years that series may have been in use.
    3. The 68 prefix was used on most National Cabinet Lock goods back in the day and has no relationship to the year of manufacture. Current nomenclature uses a C prefix as C6787 etc.

    Pete Schifferli
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails National68-6703BdrawerLock.jpg  

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    6
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pschiffe View Post
    1. I am posting the image that you requested, click on the thumbnail to enlarge. Unfortunately no descriptive material accompanied the illustration.
    2. I am presuming that this is a wafer tumbler lock, those became commonplace after WW2, although some few were made earlier; eventually replacing most all of the older lever tumbler locks. The key code can be used to make a key, but I have no idea of the years that series may have been in use.
    3. The 68 prefix was used on most National Cabinet Lock goods back in the day and has no relationship to the year of manufacture. Current nomenclature uses a C prefix as C6787 etc.

    Pete Schifferli
    That certainly looks like this lock. I guess we will caulk up this desk being from the 1960's unless something else comes forward. Sounds good to me :)

    Thanks for everyone's help,

    Bryan

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    293
    Country: UK

    Default

    It's theoretically possible that the lock is a later addition to an earlier desk?

    My immediate reaction from the picture is that it's 50s or slightly earlier. But it's no more than a gut instinct, really.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •