Rim lock and hasp
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1680-1700
This English rim lock with a separate hasp dates to between 1680 and 1700, likely around 1680, and is attributed to John Wilkes of Birmingham. Made in the Baroque style, it features an intricate mechanism of forged steel enclosed within a frame and pierced openwork case of brass over a blued steel body. The brass openwork ornament consists of twirling scrollwork tendrils terminating in flowers and dogs' heads. The inner steel working mechanism is engraved on the back.
The lock functions with four turning bolts that can be adjusted to various combinations, controlled by four decorative knobs. Projecting from the case is a rectangular box fitted with a sliding panel, revealing two dials designed to record each turn and action of the lock mechanism. The piece measures 12.5 cm in height, 22.8 cm in length, and 5.5 cm in depth, with a dial plate width of 7.7 cm.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Rim locks enclosed their complete locking mechanism inside an exterior case intended for surface mounting on a door. Unlike later mortise locks set directly into door joinery, rim locks could be unfastened and relocated when owners moved to a new residence. Intricate locks and keys served as symbols of ownership, authority, and security in seventeenth-century interiors. English locksmiths concentrated in London and the Midlands were noted for mechanical ingenuity and ornamental craftsmanship. The museum acquired this lock in 1888 from the Londesborough Sale.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Steel, brass, forged and chiselled, blued
- Dimensions
- Height: 12.5 cm; Depth: 5.5 cm; Length: 22.8 cm; Width (dial plate): 7.7 cm
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- John Wilkes
- Place recorded
- Birmingham
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Lock and key
- Museum object number
- 1394-1888
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.