Registered Mail gold shipment Treasury Post Office USPO RPO rotary lock padlock For Sale
This item has been shown 241 times.
Registered Mail gold shipment Treasury Post Office USPO RPO rotary lock padlock:
$402
1890s T-series Registered Mail lock
This US Registered Mail lock has a cast case, shackle collar, and rotating shackle made of architectural bronze. It is circa 1890s but continued in usage through the 1920s, being repaired when necessary. Although ''rotary'' locks have been occasionally listed on being described as the style selected by Harry Houdini for his renowned mail bag escape trick, prop photos reveal that he used this earlier style of lock that opened with a flat key that he concealed within his cheek. The obsolete flat-style key was assigned to the Treasury Department. Although registered mail shipments passed through the postal system with this lock, Post Office Department employees could not open those pouches with their standard-issue keys. Only U.S. Treasury personnel were assigned keys to unlock shipments of currency and coin. This included small quantities of gold coin prior to 1933.
This lock is sold with a professionally-fitted reproduction key that operates the lock and is in excellent condition. There is a small bronze flap covering the rotary numbers ''in the window'' that is currently 0122, meaning it had been opened 122 times. The lock serial number is T 2496 and is ex-Mundy collection. All features of the lock are clear and distinct, even though the back view is fuzzy around the edges because used a camera which doesn't have much depth of field for close-up snapshots.
Please check my other listings for other items that might be interesting collateral items for your collection. If you purchase one of those other lots, this group can be added for $4 covering incremental postage. There is never a reserve for any of my sales.
Locked pouches were transported aboard RPOs in the custody of the Railway Mail Clerk-in-Charge and the registry clerk.
Proceeds benefit restoration of the Boyce, Virginia, railway station as well as monthly utility expenses.
The $8 domestic mailing cost via USPS Priority Mail small flat-rate box covers postage with the remainder going towards delivery confirmation and private parcel insurance. Your purchase is insured against loss or damage en route. If you are outside the USA, please add US$15.00 to the purchase price for International Priority Mail to an address anywhere in the world. I'll ship by the lowest cost means and if actual mailing expenses are at least $2.00 less, I'll make a partial refund via PayPal. The incremental domestic shipping cost for additional lots is $2 for each one. Please add US$4.00 for each extra lot if shipping is to an address outside the USA. Please do look at my other listings!
On Jul-03-12 at 16:51:14 PDT, seller added the following information:
Note: the listing started with photos from an identical lock before I could revise it and substitute the photos for T 2496 which has been opened 122 times. I want to confirm that the buyer will receive lock T 2496.
I'll be traveling between July 5 and 8. The lock will be mailed to the successful buyer on July 11. Thank you for your interest!
