Iron lock and set of keys owned by members of the Ellis family
- Created by
- Unidentified
- Date
- late 19th-early 20th century
- Medium
- iron and brass
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (closed lock): 4 × 3 × 2 1/4 in. (10.2 × 7.6 × 5.7 cm)
- H x W x D (iron key): 2 7/8 × 1 5/16 × 1/4 in. (7.3 × 3.3 × 0.6 cm)
- H x W x D (brass key): 2 1/2 × 1 × 3/8 in. (6.4 × 2.5 × 1 cm)
- Diameter (iron tag): 7/8 in. (2.2 cm)
- Diameter (key ring): 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm)
- Description
- A two piece iron padlock with a set of two different keys and a tag. The lock consists of two separate cast iron pieces, the body (a) and the shackle (b). There is a raised five-pointed star around the keyhole. The body contains a cylinder which moves to engage the lock and shackle. The shackle is a “U” shaped cylinder with notches that engage with the cylinder. There is a small rectangular key hole in the oval shaped bottom that has a raised five-pointed star around it. There is a ridge around the circumference of the oval.
- The padlock is accompanied by two different keys on a metal key ring (c). There is a cast iron key that has a flat blade with a square or notch like serrations on both sides, and an oval bow with large holes side by side. This key opens the lock. There is also a cast brass skeleton key that has a cylindrical shaft with a rectangular blade at the end with rectangular notches or serrations. The bow is an oval with a double concave hexagonal center slot flanked by two ovals. The third item attached to the ring is a circular flat iron tag.
- Place used
- Orange County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Tools and Equipment
- Type
- padlocks
- keys (hardware)
- Topic
- Black interiors
- Domestic life
- Families
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Clara Ellis Payne
- Object number
- 2012.42.13abc
- Restrictions & Rights
- Public domain
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.