One of the biggest museums in America that a locksmith would enjoy related to their craft is the Lock Museum of America. It’s located in Terryville, Connecticut. With eight display rooms and plenty of advertisement, it is sure to draw people from all over the country. You don’t have to be a locksmith interested in antique clocks and the hardware connected to them. Antique doorknob collectors enjoy visiting museums for locksmiths. People interested in old doors or the old locks’ artwork and related items would enjoy this museum.
Another museum for locksmiths and lock enthusiasts is the Lock Museum that is located in Willowhall, Staffordshire. The Black Country Living Museum has taken over this museum to secure its future. To preserve the contents and the relevance to history in general, the Black Country Living Museum took an interest in the Lock Museum.
Blake’s Lock Museum can be seen in the United Kingdom. California offers the Jehning Family Lock Museum, located in Mountain View. Paris, France, is home to the Hotel Liberal Bruand. The Hanns Schell Collection is the world’s largest museum of locks and keys. It’s located in Austria. Locksmiths should also enjoy the metal locks and keys at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Shop in Key West, Florida. There’s a Powerhouse Museum located in Sydney, Australia.
Doorknobs are collector’s items and are a part of a locksmith‘s work. There’s a club called the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America. The club’s interesting items also include antique door hardware and extend to plates, doorbells, coat hooks, and window latches. There are beautiful doorknobs on display in the club’s collection.
The Antique Doorknob Collectors of America holds yearly conventions all over the country to learn and share their information. The club has a wonderful collection of Bennington knobs, mineral knobs, real estate hardware, and a group they call Fabulous Doorknobs-this group is made up of Victorian hardware, bronze knobs, and Wheeler knobs.
Donald Jackson offers an impressive Roman gallery of locks, keys, and seal boxes that show an interesting security hardware collection. He displays an impressive image from a locksmith’s gravestone showing Roman locksmiths at work. Mr. Jackson writes an informative, detailed article on ancient locks, collecting, and fabrication.
West Coast Lock Collectors Association explores the history and ingenuity of locks. They have an annual lock show to thrill collectors and capture the interest of the public. Their table fees are $35 to anyone interested in adding their own collection to the event. They send out a quarterly publication to association members. This association is a hobby club that puts any income back into the company for operating expenses.
Antique Padlocks offer internet viewing to provide a look into padlocks of eight different varieties as well as helpful links, patent information, and hardware companies that have marketed padlocks. As thieves become more determined, padlocks lose some value because they could be cut with bolt cutters. There are still many around today, and there are still requests for locksmiths to remove them. They are sure to remain a part of museums as the years move forward.