Lock Seals?

Another question: what was the purpose of the lock seal revenue stamps? What locks were sealed and why?

I asked this question way back in 2011!! Fast forward to today, and I know what they were used for, and not only THAT, after all these years I finally scored not one, but TWO seal locks!

My boyfriend collects locks and keys, and noticed a seller with 4 listed on ebay. When they arrive, I'll post photos here, if only to show people just what they looked like. I should be able to scan and print out "fake" seals to insert into the section they went into.

Stay tuned!

For those who don't know, the seals were fitted into locks on bonded alcohol warehouses, to prevent them from being opened before they were allowed to be. Done for tax purposes.

Yesterday I searched and searched and could NOT find ANY online publications from the period regarding the use of the locks. All I DID find were a handful of very vague mentions of certain parts of liquor production being locked out.

I have seen some of the locks, and a considerable number of the seals. I even have a few. I am sure that there is some philatelic literature around about them, but it might not be online.

My humble collection...

The American Revenuer has a number of articles I have clipped over the years. I believe they are all available on line:

May 1980 Lock Seals - What are They?
January 1981 Labels, Seals & Tags
June 1985 Lock Seals a preliminary study
April 1986 Lock Seals
October 1986 Seal Locks and their Seals

There may be more I just happened to have clipped copies of these.

Images of the actual locks.






https://www.sopl.us/padlocks/united...rnal-revenue

Made of brass. And they are as solid and heavy as they look.

I wrote a definitive article in the 2006 Congress Book. The lock and seal posted by rogdcam was in use from about 1952 until about 1972. The earlier version was in use from 1872 un til 1952. Before 1872 they briefly used a glass lock seal for about a year. These same glass lock seals were also used for several years by Customs. About 1868 a smaller paper seal was in use and the ones that were used are listed only as essays, which I believe were actually used. Customs later used a larger glass seal that had a paper backing. To the best of my knowledge there is only one surviving example.

Get the 2006 Congress book. I would be willing to sell one of my duplicate 2006 books. Please contact me at lesher.ronald@gmail.com.

Oh my... I can hear my railroad-lock-collecting boyfriend screaming from down the street... That top photo is a TRAVESTY... I found the source and it is a video of someone talking about that example... It appears someone went at it with a grinder/buffing wheel and took away ALL the patina. To many collectors, patina is a real plus.

THAT ASIDE, I'll try to find some of the sources shared above.

BILLW - THANKS for adding those dates!!! I was very interested to see the other style lock, where the small style seal goes on the top, near the shackle. (Caton?)

revenuermd - I didn't realize they were in use to such a late date!!