lock

lock

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Description (Brief)
Simple spring bolt lock. Has two piece bolt, each half with its own flat coil or barrel spring, although one spring is missing and bolts are corroded together. Mild engraving, punchwork, and repousse'. Works exposed. Leaf pattern. Very simple throughout.
Description
In August 2022, staff in the curatorial Division of Work and Industry discovered the provenance for this and other identified objects as, related to Nazi-era activities. Keywords included “distressed shipment,” “1940,” and “Germany.” Upon this discovery, staff reached out to partner organizations in Washington, D.C. and Germany to identify previous owners and better understand the nature of the transactions. Efforts to identify the original owners and contact next of kin are ongoing. These objects were shipped from Germany in March of 1940 aboard the Deutschland and were seized in New York City by U.S. Customs where they were “voluntarily abandoned” by the receiver due to insufficient documentation. They were subsequently transferred to the Smithsonian Institution in May of 1940. Curators at the time reached out to the intended recipient for further information, with no reply.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
Lock
Other Terms
Lock; Spring Bolt; Keyed
place made
Europe
Physical Description
metal, iron (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 12 5/8 in x 5 1/4 in x 3 1/2 in; 32.0675 cm x 13.335 cm x 8.89 cm
ID Number
ME.335835
catalog number
335835
accession number
156484
See more items in
Work and Industry: Mechanisms
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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