October Fall Classic
Lot 1180:
Description
A truly stunning piece of mechanical art and banking history, this is an antique vault time lock by the premier manufacturer, Sargent & Greenleaf of Rochester, N.Y. Housed in a heavy, solid brass case, the intricate inner workings are fully visible through the thick glass plate. This device features four redundant clockwork movements, a system designed to ensure the vault it protected could be opened at the appointed time, even if one or more of the movements failed. The craftsmanship is superb, from the brass gears to the beautifully jeweled or damascened steel components. A quintessential steampunk artifact, this lock is a testament to the ingenuity of 19th-century security engineering. The exterior case has a heavy, dark, and uneven patina from decades of service. The internal mechanism appears exceptionally clean and well-preserved. H 5″, W 9″, D 3.5″.
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