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

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 21
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    47
    Country: UK

    Default Phillips & Son + E Cotterill

    Bought a Phillips and Son padlock which basically is an E Cotterill key and padlock just without the E Cotterill name. I have seen Phillips and Son safes before with E Cotterill locks and keys in their name? Any info on this is appreciated.

    I notice that the last couple of posts I’ve not had any replies so not sure if this forum is getting read or not but thought I would try again. Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by simoncpage View Post
    Bought a Phillips and Son padlock which basically is an E Cotterill key and padlock just without the E Cotterill name. I have seen Phillips and Son safes before with E Cotterill locks and keys in their name? Any info on this is appreciated.

    I notice that the last couple of posts I’ve not had any replies so not sure if this forum is getting read or not but thought I would try again. Thanks

    Well, there's at least one avid reader.

    Cotterill safes, like hen's teeth, are difficult to find. Although he published price lists and catalogues for 'his' safes I have always believed that he had them 'made-out' which is substantiated to a degree that two photos I have of his safes have identical hinge pivits to Birmingham and Whitfield products.

    Phillips safes are most often locked by Cotterill or Chubb Detector till locks so perhaps the there was enough turnover to justify being provided with an anonymous padlock.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    A picture would be of great help and speak a thousand words - is the radial slider climax detector type ?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    47
    Country: UK

    Default

    Here you go...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails D5C20698-62DE-4363-B00C-F6003AAEF537.jpeg  

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Well that’s a cracking padlock and totally unexpected. It’s not the radial slider climax type I was expecting it to be, but it’s even stranger being the first of the ACME type that followed later.

    Was all ready to say that Cotterill’s are always marked as such and that it’s the generic copies that are anonymous without makers name, but that being a Cotterill ACME patent type but signed Phillips & Son makes it a mystery to me.

    FWIW, all of the climax detectors we saw on Phillips’ safes were only ever the generic copies and not Cotterill’s signed locks. Their escutcheons would reference the climax detector patent but IIRC never use Cotterill’s name, but seeing your padlock there suggests a possible tie-up of some sort between the two unless ACME patents had expired and that too was copied.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    47
    Country: UK

    Talking

    Thanks Huw I do love a good mystery. I guess this thread should really be in the padlock section.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    259
    Country: UK

    Default cotterill type padlock

    Cotterill's patent had expired by the 1930s, when Cotterill ceased trading. The Cotterill padlock turret shape was respected enough that some cheap makers copied it; Maybe Philips tried copying the real thing? but the 1930s would not have been a good time for a success in the marketplace ... .

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Devon UK
    Posts
    3,117
    Country: UK

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by safeman View Post
    Well, there's at least one avid reader.

    Cotterill safes, like hen's teeth, are difficult to find.
    I have several early Chatwood branded firesafes which were made by Cotterill, fitted with various non cotterill and non Chatwood locks.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Gordon View Post
    I have several early Chatwood branded firesafes which were made by Cotterill, fitted with various non cotterill and non Chatwood locks.

    Tom, this is indeed surprising as I never believed that Cotterill actually manufactured safes. An early model shows identical hinges to those used by Whitfield at one time and identical to Milners which were used in their List 2 safes..

    This leads me to think that they may also have acquired safes from Chatwood. To substantiate this I have attached a copy of a page illustrating their List No.12 which bears the following identical features to the Chatwood List 2 of 1871.

    Apart from incorporating the Chatwood 'T' frame and lockcase the 'curvilinear' feature is also shown round the rebate. I would be interested to know what locks are fitted.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Cotterill List No.12.jpg 
Views:	10 
Size:	235.0 KB 
ID:	22622 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Chatwood List 2.JPG 
Views:	7 
Size:	67.8 KB 
ID:	22623 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Cotterill safe copy.jpg 
Views:	8 
Size:	59.0 KB 
ID:	22624

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Devon UK
    Posts
    3,117
    Country: UK

    Default

    There is a big standard lock made by Parnell on one.
    The tiny writing which says “Cotterill” is there but so small and subtle that it is difficult to take a picture of
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 8BF2DE7E-005A-4D5E-A62A-9DCDABC8EEBA.jpeg  

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
  •