Hobbs

[Huw Eastwood]

That Hobb's is a work of art John! A real box of tricks- frightening where so called progress has led to really, when you compare that with the pressed steel and zinc diecast VdS rubbish of today!

[Huw Eastwood]

18 inch stems seem about the longest that's commonly encountered, but there's got to be some extreme examples out there.

Chatwood's old BoE doors were mostly keylocks iirc, and Chubb's 33 inch thick treasury doors were offered with key or comb options.

This massive Parma door has a pretty impressive key stem, complete with La-fetton style guide for the bow. Might be 60cm+, but difficult to tell from the photo.

[Gary Stephenson]

London is probably the place in the UK for thick doors, thickest slab doors with keylocks I have seen up north was a 16 inch main slab door

[Redoubt]

Huw you are right about the level of craftsmanship, thought, and detail that went into those Hobbs Locks and Keys.
Nothing around these days that compare.

Just out of interest, does anyone know what is the best high security key lock on the market these days that causes the most issues to pick?
From what I can gather, there is a pick for just about every key lock available, and in the hands of the skilled operator, none of the key locks cause too many issues.

[oldlock]

Attachment 23627

Any clues as to a date for that ? I assume it must be fairly late as they have moved onto offering 7 lever as the 'base' model which are generally the hardest to find examples of (the 9, 11, and 15 I doubt where ever production locks, only samples being made.)

[Syd Waterman]

Any clues as to a date for that ? I assume it must be fairly late as they have moved onto offering 7 lever as the 'base' model which are generally the hardest to find examples of (the 9, 11, and 15 I doubt where ever production locks, only samples being made.)

The illustration appeared for the first time in their May 1884 catalogue.

Syd.

[Gary Stephenson]

is that based on the Day & Newell Parautoptic lock. and if so when did that date from? I assume from before the exhibition, as I believe that is the lock that ACH was selling/ pushing.
Were Day & Newell known for any other locks?

[safeman]

The illustration appeared for the first time in their May 1884 catalogue.

Syd.

Also in 1871 Catologue

[oldlock]

is that based on the Day & Newell Parautoptic lock. and if so when did that date from? I assume from before the exhibition, as I believe that is the lock that ACH was selling/ pushing.
Were Day & Newell known for any other locks?

They sold the original Day & Newell design first, actually importing locks for a while before making them under licence in London. Then improved the design with anti pressure etc around 1860. I'm trying to compile a list of known examples.

[Gary Stephenson]

cheers