Now, for the first time, three landmark books on the world of locks and keys are available together in one handsome collection. From ancient mechanisms to master-crafted European designs and the intricate ingenuity of Persian locks, this set offers an extraordinary journey through the evolution of security and metalwork. Antique Locks and Keys – This is the most beautiful, complete, and largest book on antique locks and keys ever published. Not only are there 1,000 stunning high-resolution photos of European locks and keys from Roman times through the Industrial Revolution, with dates, dimensions, and provenance, but the detailed photos and the author’s notes allow us to examine and understand the workings of the locks’ internal mechanisms. This is a book that every lock and key collector, locksmith, and architectural restorer will want to own. Locks and Keys Throughout the Ages – Widely considered the best book ever written on the history of locks. Illustrated throughout with photos from the Lips’ Collection, it was written in 1957 by the director of one of the most important lock manufacturing companies in the world at that time (now part of the Assa Abloy Group). The author was not only a master locksmith but also a collector and was passionate about the history and development of locking mechanisms. His extensive knowledge of the field comes across on every page. Persian Locks – In this beautiful and informative book, the author shares, in over 500 photos and drawings, the most interesting examples of locks from his famous collection, first introduced to the American public by the Smithsonian. Detailed drawings clearly illustrate the workings of various locking mechanisms (e.g., barbed-spring, helical-spring, notched-shackle, hook and revolving catch, etc.). All locks are dated and the place of manufacture is given. A smaller version of this updated and expanded book was published by The Smithsonian Institution in 1976 with the title, Locks from Pre-Islamic to Twentieth Century.
