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All the United States New York State New York City Manhattan John M. Mossman Lock Collection

John M. Mossman Lock Collection

Hundreds of antique bank vault locks on display in New York City.

New York, New York

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Brook Wilensky-Lanford
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Lock model   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
A safe and the lock collection   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
Keys   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
John M. Mossman Collection of Locks   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
Keys in the Lock Collection   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
View to the lock collection on the second floor   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
John M. Mossman Lock Collection. (Press photo)   generalsociety.org
Ornate locks   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
Mossman Maker emblem   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
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“Guard’s Key”   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
Giant key in the Lock Collection   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
View to the lower level of the library   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
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Backus Mfrg. Co. locking umbrella stand, still works!   Anna Minster / Atlas Obscura User
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Billing itself modestly as "one of the largest" collections of antique bank locks in existence, the John M. Mossman Lock Collection has more than 370 lock mechanisms on display.

Behind glass on the second floor of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, these somewhat mundane-looking pieces of technology hail from a time—most are of 19th-century vintage—when lock mechanisms relied on unbelievably ornate workmanship, similar to those required for timepieces. Some of the locks even relied on time mechanisms to be opened, and were openable only at a particular hour of the day, or sometimes, the year.

The locks also boast impressive hand-tooled details, many of which would only decorate the seldom-seen interior of the locks. But don't be fooled by their Baroque beauty. In their day, as the General Society notes, "nearly every lock has protected millions in money and securities."

The collection was given to this venerable organization by John M. Mossman himself, who in 1928 wrote an accompanying history entitled "The Lure of the Lock," available from the Society. The Collection's current curator John Erroll, and his son David, are the authors of a beautiful but little-known 2006 coffee-table book on the collection entitled American Genius, and proprietors of time-lock.com, where they further explore the obscure history of this important invention.

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Brook WilenskyLanford

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chrisbacke, Molly McBride Jacobson, athelia, icatsstaci...

  • chrisbacke
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • athelia
  • icatsstaci
  • Allison
  • Anna Minster

Published

June 13, 2011

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  • Yelp: John M. Mossman Lock Collection: http://www.yelp.com/biz/john-m-mossman-lock-collection-new-york
  • LockWiki: John M. Mossman Lock Collection: http://www.lockwiki.com/index.php/John_M._Mossman_Lock_Collection
John M. Mossman Lock Collection
General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street
New York, New York, 10036
United States
40.75536, -73.981336
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