How do I secure an antique lock box?

Many historic boxes retain their original working keys, though centuries of use can make the mechanisms delicate. A professional locksmith who specialises in antiques can often service internal steel locks without damaging the surrounding timber. For pieces missing their keys, exact period replacements can sometimes be sourced, but forcing a stuck mechanism should be avoided to preserve the internal brasswork and wood framing.

What were antique lock boxes originally used for?

These containers served as personal safes in an era before modern banking and security systems became widespread. People used them to store legal deeds, household cash, jewellery, writing paper, and precious spices. Smaller desk forms kept correspondence private, whilst larger blanket chests and coffers protected textiles and valuable garments from dampness and theft in domestic settings.

How do I date an antique lock box?

Dating relies heavily on examining the timber species, construction methods, and the style of the lock mechanism. Seventeenth-century pieces typically feature hand-riven oak, forged iron hinges, and simple rim locks, while Georgian and Victorian examples introduce mahogany, complex dovetailing, and brass inlay. Secondary woods used inside secret drawers and the wear patterns around keyholes also offer reliable clues to a box's true period of manufacture.

Are replacement keys common on these boxes?

Replacement keys are frequently encountered because original keys were easily lost over hundreds of years of daily household use. A well-fitted replacement key that operates smoothly does not detract from the historical utility of the piece. Collectors generally prefer boxes that retain their original manufacturer-stamped locks and matching keys, though period-appropriate replacements remain entirely acceptable for functional use.

Home > Antiques For Sale > Lock Box > Page 5

Antique Lock Box

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When you search for an antique lock box, you are looking at secure receptacles designed to protect valuables, documents, and personal items across centuries.

Solid Pine Trunk with Working Lock and Side Lifting Handles

1900 - 1920

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Solid Pine Trunk with Working Lock and Side Lifting Handles

From The Dorking Desk Shop

£175

FOR SALE

chests

Antique Victorian Chubb Fully Restored Luxury Safe on Waring & Sons Walnut Stand

19th century

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Antique Victorian Chubb Fully Restored Luxury Safe on Waring & Sons Walnut Stand

From Lincoln Restorations

£6,295

FOR SALE

furniture

19th century

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19th Century Attaché

From Henry Fowler Antiques

£800

FOR SALE

miscellaneous

Victorian Rosewood Inlaid Marquetry Tea Caddy

19th century

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Victorian Rosewood Inlaid Marquetry Tea Caddy

From FB Antiques

£395

FOR SALE

boxes

Unusual Early 20th Century Novelty Biscuit Box C.1920 - Hat Box

1900 - 1920

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Unusual Early 20th Century Novelty Biscuit Box C.1920 - Hat Box

From Puckerings

£1,295

FOR SALE

boxes

Unusual Antique English Inlaid Table / Desk Box - American Indian & Lion C.1880

19th century

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Unusual Antique English Inlaid Table / Desk Box - American Indian & Lion C.1880

From Puckerings

£530

FOR SALE

boxes

19th century

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Tunbridge Ware Table Box 1880

From Michael Johnson Antiques

£350

FOR SALE

boxes

18th century

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Queen Ann Flintlock Pistol

From Sovereign Antiques Of Nuneaton

£695

FOR SALE

miscellaneous

Antique Victorian George Price Strong Box Vintage Chest Safe Fully Restored 1860

19th century

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Antique Victorian George Price Strong Box Vintage Chest Safe Fully Restored 1860

From Lincoln Restorations

£870

FOR SALE

chests

18th century

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18th Century Small French Oak Coffer, Strong Box

From Elmgarden

£1,020

FOR SALE

chests

The listings span from sturdy 17th-century oak bible boxes and iron-banded coffers to refined Victorian mahogany tea caddies and brass-mounted tantalus cabinets.

18th century

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An 18th Century Spanish Walnut Box with Key

From Marlborough Antiques & Interiors

£445

FOR SALE

boxes

Antique Pollard Oak Three Crystal Decanter Tantalus Dry Bar Humidor 19th C

19th century

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Antique Pollard Oak Three Crystal Decanter Tantalus Dry Bar Humidor 19th C

From Regent Antiques

£2,750

FOR SALE

cabinets

17th century

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17th Century Carved Oak Bible Box with Demi-lune Front Panel.

From The Collector Antiques

£585

FOR SALE

boxes

Rare Faux Tortoiseshell Hawkes & Co Military Hat Box

19th century

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Rare Faux Tortoiseshell Hawkes & Co Military Hat Box

From David Griffith Antiques

£845

FOR SALE

boxes

Cantonese Brass-bound Camphor-wood Trunk

19th century

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Cantonese Brass-bound Camphor-wood Trunk

From W.J. Gravener Antiques Ltd.

£2,850

FOR SALE

chests

18th century

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Small Antique Dome Top Chest, Spanish, Leather, Decorative Trunk, Georgian, 1750

From London Fine Antiques

£1,295

FOR SALE

chests

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Antique Lock Box

Solid Pine Trunk with Working Lock and Side Lifting Handles

Antique Victorian Chubb Fully Restored Luxury Safe on Waring & Sons Walnut Stand

19th Century Attaché

Victorian Rosewood Inlaid Marquetry Tea Caddy

Unusual Early 20th Century Novelty Biscuit Box C.1920 - Hat Box

Unusual Antique English Inlaid Table / Desk Box - American Indian & Lion C.1880

Tunbridge Ware Table Box 1880

Queen Ann Flintlock Pistol

Antique Victorian George Price Strong Box Vintage Chest Safe Fully Restored 1860

18th Century Small French Oak Coffer, Strong Box

An 18th Century Spanish Walnut Box with Key

Antique Pollard Oak Three Crystal Decanter Tantalus Dry Bar Humidor 19th C

17th Century Carved Oak Bible Box with Demi-lune Front Panel.

Rare Faux Tortoiseshell Hawkes & Co Military Hat Box

Cantonese Brass-bound Camphor-wood Trunk

Small Antique Dome Top Chest, Spanish, Leather, Decorative Trunk, Georgian, 1750

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