Lock, Door

Object Name:

Lock, Door

Object ID:

1994.511.07

Creator:

Carpenter & CompanyManufacturer

Place of Origin:

Willenhall, England

Date:

1830-1837

Description:

Lock, door, set. Steel, brass, and iron. Carpenter's Patent. Rectangular surface-mounted cast steel case with removable sheet-iron plate on back. Case has four 0.3" diameter holes in corners for mounting screws. Raised rib around front and back edges of box on top, right, and bottom sides. Left edge of box has rectangular jam plate with two countersunk mounting holes at back edge. Three locking mechanisms protrude through jam plate. Small horizontally-oriented rectangular iron bolt 0.55" high, 0.56" wide, extends 0.56" from case; brass tab on bottom of box lock that allows this bolt to be slid in and out. Above that is another iron dead bolt, 1.4" high, 0.6" wide. Above that is slide latch that moves up and down, 0.58" high x 0.61" deep, extending 0.47" from case. Bottom left corner is cut away at 45-degree angle; has slightly convex surface. Latch moves 0.42" upward. Large brass finger lift on front of case that lifts this latch; it has circular base, 1.4" diameter, extending 1.57" above surface of box; has rectangular tab that extends out from surface then bends downward; end is rounded. Outside surfaces slightly at top, more deeply rounded at bottom. Couple of decorative grooves around base edge of lift. At top of lock is a brass tab with plate underneath that slides horizontally 1.4". Rectangular base for tab, 0.47" wide. Six sets of parallel decorative grooves across width of this base plate. Tab roughly square but has undercut right and left sides. Near center of lock is large, round-headed screw with washer in brass. Has single slot. Screw connected to steel doorknob shaft 0.5" diameter. On back plate of lock is circular brass washer attached to plate surface, 1.2" diameter. In washer is brass bushing with square hole inside of it. Steel shaft is probably square to fit through bushing, but shaft has larger shoulder at that location so one can't see entire bushing configuration. Shaft extends about 2" where it is fastened to brass knob. Knob is flattened sphere. 0.19" diameter, overall height 1.9" including small neck under knob that flares slightly where it meets shaft. Appears to be deformed set screw in brass neck under knob. Turning knob in either direction raises latch bar. Sliding thumb tab on top of lock toward door jam prevents turning knob. Matching brass keyhole escutcheon plates on either side of lock. On front side escutcheon plate is 1.9" high, 1" wide, 0.12" deep. Keyhole has round hole at top with elongated, flared slot below it with rounded bottom surface. Sides of escutcheon are straight. Semicircular top of plate that leads to a couple of upward curved surfaces leading to outside edge. Bottom decoration similar. On inside surface, bottom of decoration is cut to fit on inside removable plate. Two screw ends on front surface that are slightly rounded, which match up with flathead screw heads on back surface of removable plate. Evidence of dark-colored surface coating on lock, which has deteriorated and damaged with time. Circular brass emblem on front of lock in lower right quadrant. Circular band text around edge of perimeter. "CARPENTER & Co." On bottom is "CAPTAIN PATENTEES" with pellet at each end. Inside text is circular border with coat of arms inside that consists of oval shield vertically oriented; crown on top of shield. On left side rampant lion, on right rampant unicorn. Banner ribbon underneath center of animals, then floral decorations mixed in with ribbon. Some symbols inside oval central piece that are worn. Damaged brass decorative circular mounting plate that goes around doorknob shaft. Has slightly concave edge that is bent up and distorted. Has two mounting holes that would be mostly hidden by flange on back surface of door knob. Painted surface back plate has irregular, wrinkled finish. Brass/iron striker-plate box. Cast-steel rectangular box that supports brass striker plate and decorative trim. This box has flat top and bottom surface. End of box is separate plate with flat surface and two ridges on front and back edges. Inside box are three cast steel ribs that attach end plate to rest of box. Rivets showing on end surface and two on two ribs on inside. Heavy cast brass striker plate and decorative trim that are riveted to front surface of box along its right edge. Two 0.3" diameter holes in striker box to secure it to door jamb. Vertical slot in brass portion near top that has inclined plane leading upward for latch bar to slide on. Slot set in roughly semi-hemispherical mass of brass. Below it is 0.4" strap that extends downward along right edge of box. On its left edge are some brass curlicue decorations. Three horizontal decorative grooves. Two stamps on front of strap that face left. Top stamp has semi-circular text: "CARPENTER". Below is "W R" with crown. Adjacent to stamp is a repeat of the "W R" with crown and curved banner with "CAPTAIN PATENTEE". Some remnants of alligatored black finish on some portions of box material. Also dab of white paint that is worn on bottom surface of box. Top edge of iron box is bent up slightly.

Material:

Metal
Iron
Brass
Steel

Dimensions:

H-6.4 W-8.5 D-6.5 inches

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Collection