…continued from last month

We were intrigued by the keys made with movable parts or ball bearings to discourage those trying to make copies. A ball-bearing key could sell for $50. Ordinary keys were at the show in dump displays, 10 cents to hundreds of dollars each.

Tricks of the trade learned from collectors at the show: They chain the key to the lock so the key won’t get lost. A new copy of an original key is better than no key, and a copy made on an old blank is even better-but an original key is best. Don’t ever polish a lock, but it is OK to oil it. Unlike museum curators, collectors don’t wear gloves when holding metal, but they are careful. If they don’t know the combination of a lock in their collection, they keep trying to figure it out. Some lock collectors are very good at solving that kind of puzzle; a few at the show were considered experts and helped others. Beware of reproductions of old locks. Many are being made in Pakistan. Finally, old locks are interesting collectibles, but new locks work better.

Our favorite lock “fact”: The name Linus Yale is famous among lock collectors. His last name was used for his business, the Yale Lock Company, which offered security to many. His first name became even more famous when the security-blanket-holding-child in the Peanuts comic strip was named Linus.

If you like locks, consider joining the American Lock Collectors Association, 8576 Barbara Dr., Mentor, OH 44060. The association publishes six newsletters a year to keep collectors up-to-date on lock companies, auctions, collecting activities, and its four annual shows. For information, call John Grist at 800-896-6266.