Locks and Keys Throughout the Ages

“Great history and a good read.”

–Mark Kochan “The Anvil’s Ring (official magazine of ABANA, the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America)”

“I am asked many lock questions in the course of a year. The most common one is: ‘where can I learn more about locks and keys?’. This book is what I recommend to collectors to go to first. I personally feel all lock and key collectors should have this book. It contains a mixture of European and American locks and keys across time. It includes lock mechanisms too. This is a quality book in every way; an impressive work”

–Robert Dix “Journal of Lock Collecting”

“There are less than a dozen good informative books on locks and keys in the world. Many are long out of print. Luckily this is one of the best and is now back in print after a 45 year absence. If you have an interest in locksmithing, locks and keys or physical security history you should get your copy now.

The images in this new edition have all been digitally enhanced and most have been printed larger than in the original edition making it easier to see details in the images. There was a time when locksmithing was more about the high art of beautiful design and decoration than security. Artisans in Munich and Paris tried to outdo each other to be known as the finest lock makers without advancing the functionality of locks. This remained the same until the late 1700’s when it became popular sport for locksmiths to make new designs and challange all commers (crooks and locksmiths alike) to pick their locks. Lock technology leapt forward rapidly until the modern time lock was invented.

Locks and Keys Throughout the Ages follows this history of locks from the simplest wooden devices until modern combination and time locks. Locks and Keys Throughout the Ages includes photos of some of the rarest early locks found in any collection through photos and diagrams of modern vaults. Locks of every kind from every age (up to 1957) are represented. The book includes many diagrams of lock and key types and use. The history of locks and keys is well written in this volume and is the source of many later histories of locks and keys.

The author, Vincent J.M. Eras was a certified Master Locksmith working for the world enowned LIPS lock company (now ASSA ABLOY). He had unequaled access to the Lips lock collection as well as other private and European museum collections to research and illustrate this book.

–Jock Dempsey “AnvilFire.com”