History Of Locks 47
HOL NO. 504
The pair of
locks from the
Egyptian Vault,
identical except
for handing.
Note the grooves
which vented
explosive gases.
The bolt heads
were also drilled
with two holes,
again to vent
gases. The lock
had double
pocketed levers
forcing at least
four holes to
be drilled. One
bolt stump in
each lock was
anti-pressure,
thwarting
any tentative
attempts.
Vault had a door that was much narrower
than normal, although still meeting the
specified criteria regarding thickness,
and did not have the space in the pan
for a normal violence lock owing to the
clenching bolts on all sides. Two identical,
very interesting, and very rare, locks
were used both of which answered the
requirements of a Progress E door.
HoL Artefact No. 504, from the
BoE demountable Egyptian
Vault, Hobbs serial No.
26606, made 1906 or 1907
These items were acquired in 2007,
exactly 100 years after it was made, and
including one original key for each lock.
By a fortunate chance meeting with the
previous owner much later on, another
pair of original keys was found and added
to this artefact. The provenance for the
better Hobbs artefacts can always be
verified by the Makers’ habit of serial
numbering locks, keys and escutcheons.
Note the key holes, which are sideways
in this configuration, one facing left, the
other facing right.
The locks measure 129 x 93 x 29mm
in thickness, each weighing in at 2.24
kg, and incorporate a solid, cast iron
block filling all the unused space and so
rendering it gunpowder-proof. This block
has grooves