Hungary
From my ebay Roman coin source in Slovenia/ Hungry I couldn't resist this Medieval barrel lock. They have a multitude of old coins, rings, spear heads, broaches, etc. How could you not be intrigued. Somehow they are digging up old historic sites, grave robbing or whatever.
As I cleaned it up it shined like gold, but it seems to be mostly copper. Wanted to have my locksmith buddies make a key for it but the guts were iron and all corroded so it will just be a decoration, jewelry, or resale item.
The quality of construction, detail and hand engraving were admirable.
Didn't notice this till much later that the engravings are not just a simple cut, they are serrated in the bottom of the grooves.
There is an attractive radial pattern on the front cap.
They used serrations on some channels but clean cut notches on top when they wanted to. Did not entirely figure out the locking mechanism. There seemed to be a button to press on top (part of a lever extending vertically down into the barrel), but it might have been a some sort of deception trick. Not sure if the holes were part of the original design as they seem polished, yet it seems that someone tried to drill through the inner lever.
trackdown:
There are some forms of Egyptian locks made 4000 years ago. I'm guessing my lock is for sure newer than the crude Roman and Byzantine Era locks barrel locks (<7th century). It seems to be from the 1300's plus or minus a century.
This original lock from 1250-1475 and the reproduced version are from this German site showing a simple push key spring mechanism styled like mine. translating their site: "Thirteenth Century and later: In the high or late Middle Ages there was a widevariety of shapes of locks, depending on the nature of the mechanism but it could not compete with Roman antecedents. One of the simplest mechanisms of the lock bolt lockthat was where the one-run key pressed springs back, thus allowing the opening of the lock. Locks of Arts are in different materials and shapes over a very broad time framedetectable (-> Padlocks)
This Russian site has a nice history of locks and explains the lesson of cutting the Gordian Knot.
This brass barrel lock from York, England in the year 1200-1300 shows a similar but more primitive engraving.
The Portable Antiquities site in England documents many barrel locks. And more locks and even more .
Another English medieval lock site.
This colorful painting from an illustrated manuscript 1420-1440, "allegory of the promised money", shows a type of barrel lock in action. Speaking of medieval torture, this awesome site has a nice display .
So why shouldn't I have this 1308 Charles Robert first King of Hungary and Croatia silver denar. Their country was over run by everyone during the middle ages.
Charles Robert (Károly Róbert, in Hun.) (1307-1342). AR denar, 15 mm.
Huszár 497, Pohl 54-3, Unger 394n, Réthy II 15 Hungary.
Obv: King enthroned with scepter and imperial orb.
Rev: + • M • REGIS • hVNGARIE, Ostrich-head on horseshoe, lilies (privy mark) above and below to sides.
Issued in 1339-1342 (per Pohl, Huszár and Unger) in Szomolnok (now Schmolnik, Slovakia), probably by Forsinich [?] Martinus, with a nominal weight of 0.6978 g. (per Pohl).
Huszár/Pohl rarity rating 4. The references differ slightly with respect to the placement of pellets on the reverse. This variation has a pellets between the cross and the M.
not too many good examples out there
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