Mark Lyons
#1For those who missed the Lancaster Antique Lock Show, I encourage you to try to attend next years show as this was a wonderful experience.
Lancaster Pennsylvania is in the center of Amish Country and I found it very charming in this rural farming community.
I had never been here before and was excited to see my friends at the show and to travel around here and in New England
After a good day of traveling, I was ready to attend the early bird pre show at the hotel.
I believe that most of the bargains were has on the Friday before the normal Saturday event.
One of the highlights of the day was a side trip o the Morphy Auction House where the upcoming escape artist Earl Lockman's handcuff auction would be held on July 26, 2015.
The staff at the auction house were very accommodating to the handcuff collecting community and allowed us to handle, take pictures and use our own keys to test the handcuffs operation.
The went out of their way to allow us access of all the cuffs and made a special effort to provide refreshments before our arrival.
They also made up special brochures which showed only the handcuffs being offered.
The auction also featured antique fireworks which I found about as interesting.
Since they were so accommodating with letting us handle the cuffs, I asked if I could test the fireworks to insure their dependability too. They denied my request for that.
This Adams is with the box but I am not certain that it is the correct one.
Arioch who lives a few minutes away invited us to his home to view his very nice collection.
He does have most of the usual items in his collection but he does have some very rare ones that I have never seen before.
I would like to thank him for his hospitality and for the opportunity so see some amazing items.
The auction which concluded a week after the lock show produced some happy results for most of us.
Romers, McKenzies, Palmers, Rankins, Waldins and others were sought after.
Without a doubt, these Hiatt Fexibles were the pick of the litter.
We made our way back to the show and found some more goodies.
On Sunday our group disbanded and we all went our separate ways.
Never have been in the area, I drove out to Gettysburg. This was quite the experience and they offered some displays which featured locks/keys/and restraints.
This nice Providence Tool Company Leg Iron is on display as a slave shackle.
This junk Paki Leg Iron was mounted so that the public could handle this item in the display.
Abolitionist John Brown led a brigade of slavery sympathizers at Harpers Ferry but was defeated. He was held behind this cell door until he was hanged.
This very nice Lilly cuff is the best cuff at the visitor center museum.
This pair of Adams was found in a Civil War Antique Store.
I am not quite sure why I did not take these home with me.
Not too far away is Philadelphia.
The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall have always been on my "to do" list and I was fortunate to have been able to see both.
An Added bonus was a side trip to Eastern state Penitentiary.
The prison was operational from 1829 until 1971 and was the first to have the radial hallways. The guard station allowed the guard to monitor several hallways without the necessity of moving around. The prison also was the first to reform the behavior of its prisoners rather than merely punish them.
Safe Cracker Willie Sutton and gangster Al "Scarface" Capone once had ESP as their address.
This broken lock shows its boltwork.
The Main Gate featured an unusual 3 point locking system.
Some of the cells here feature a variety of art displays. This one features a rebuilt car even though there is no space in which to reassemble it.
I once had a key from the Franklin Mint and it was supposed to be an exact copy of the key used here at Independence Hall.
It is not even close to being the correct size.
I made "friends" with this Park Ranger. He allowed me to hold this key and allowed this photo.
This cast key was made from the original or generations of keys from the original.
The Ranger did not know if the original key survives.
The last leg of my vacation took me to Maine.
Beside seeing tons of lighthouses, I was fortunate to take a river cruise past the Naval Prison at Portsmouth
This prison was occupied from 1908 until 1974. The building is in very bad shape. You can see trees growing out of the roof.
The 1973 Jack Nicholson/Randy Quaid movie, The Last Detail had the characters being escorted to this prison.
It is believed that Humphrey Bogart was a Navy MP and was transporting a prisoner here.
The prisoner asked for a light of his cigarette and when Bogart was off guard, the prisoner smacked Bogart with the handcuffs, creating his famous scar.
I has a very splendid time with everyone.
I want to thank John B., Fred P, Vince, Glenn, Gordon G. Mark L. Joe G. and especially Arioch.
This trip could not have been better.
Please consider joining all of us next year.
Mark
O--O
.
Lancaster Pennsylvania is in the center of Amish Country and I found it very charming in this rural farming community.
I had never been here before and was excited to see my friends at the show and to travel around here and in New England
After a good day of traveling, I was ready to attend the early bird pre show at the hotel.
I believe that most of the bargains were has on the Friday before the normal Saturday event.
One of the highlights of the day was a side trip o the Morphy Auction House where the upcoming escape artist Earl Lockman's handcuff auction would be held on July 26, 2015.
The staff at the auction house were very accommodating to the handcuff collecting community and allowed us to handle, take pictures and use our own keys to test the handcuffs operation.
The went out of their way to allow us access of all the cuffs and made a special effort to provide refreshments before our arrival.
They also made up special brochures which showed only the handcuffs being offered.
The auction also featured antique fireworks which I found about as interesting.
Since they were so accommodating with letting us handle the cuffs, I asked if I could test the fireworks to insure their dependability too. They denied my request for that.
This Adams is with the box but I am not certain that it is the correct one.
Arioch who lives a few minutes away invited us to his home to view his very nice collection.
He does have most of the usual items in his collection but he does have some very rare ones that I have never seen before.
I would like to thank him for his hospitality and for the opportunity so see some amazing items.
The auction which concluded a week after the lock show produced some happy results for most of us.
Romers, McKenzies, Palmers, Rankins, Waldins and others were sought after.
Without a doubt, these Hiatt Fexibles were the pick of the litter.
We made our way back to the show and found some more goodies.
On Sunday our group disbanded and we all went our separate ways.
Never have been in the area, I drove out to Gettysburg. This was quite the experience and they offered some displays which featured locks/keys/and restraints.
This nice Providence Tool Company Leg Iron is on display as a slave shackle.
This junk Paki Leg Iron was mounted so that the public could handle this item in the display.
Abolitionist John Brown led a brigade of slavery sympathizers at Harpers Ferry but was defeated. He was held behind this cell door until he was hanged.
This very nice Lilly cuff is the best cuff at the visitor center museum.
This pair of Adams was found in a Civil War Antique Store.
I am not quite sure why I did not take these home with me.
Not too far away is Philadelphia.
The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall have always been on my "to do" list and I was fortunate to have been able to see both.
An Added bonus was a side trip to Eastern state Penitentiary.
The prison was operational from 1829 until 1971 and was the first to have the radial hallways. The guard station allowed the guard to monitor several hallways without the necessity of moving around. The prison also was the first to reform the behavior of its prisoners rather than merely punish them.
Safe Cracker Willie Sutton and gangster Al "Scarface" Capone once had ESP as their address.
This broken lock shows its boltwork.
The Main Gate featured an unusual 3 point locking system.
Some of the cells here feature a variety of art displays. This one features a rebuilt car even though there is no space in which to reassemble it.
I once had a key from the Franklin Mint and it was supposed to be an exact copy of the key used here at Independence Hall.
It is not even close to being the correct size.
I made "friends" with this Park Ranger. He allowed me to hold this key and allowed this photo.
This cast key was made from the original or generations of keys from the original.
The Ranger did not know if the original key survives.
The last leg of my vacation took me to Maine.
Beside seeing tons of lighthouses, I was fortunate to take a river cruise past the Naval Prison at Portsmouth
This prison was occupied from 1908 until 1974. The building is in very bad shape. You can see trees growing out of the roof.
The 1973 Jack Nicholson/Randy Quaid movie, The Last Detail had the characters being escorted to this prison.
It is believed that Humphrey Bogart was a Navy MP and was transporting a prisoner here.
The prisoner asked for a light of his cigarette and when Bogart was off guard, the prisoner smacked Bogart with the handcuffs, creating his famous scar.
I has a very splendid time with everyone.
I want to thank John B., Fred P, Vince, Glenn, Gordon G. Mark L. Joe G. and especially Arioch.
This trip could not have been better.
Please consider joining all of us next year.
Mark
O--O
.