Persian Locks: 1500 Years of Iranian Padlocks
In Iran, the padlock was developed in an amazing variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and mechanisms, the likes of which are less frequently encountered in Europe. On the whole, very little attention has been devoted to the history and development of the lock in Iran. Parviz Tanavoli, Iran's leading sculptor, was first attracted to the locks of his own country because of their sculptural qualities. In this beautiful and informative book the author shares with us, in over 500 photos and drawings, the most interesting examples of locks from his famous collection which was first introduced to the American public by the Smithsonian Institute on the occasion of the American Bicentennial. You will also find detailed drawings which clearly illustrate the workings of the various locking mechanisms (e.g., barbed-spring, helical-spring, notched-shackle, hook and revolving catch, etc.) used in the locks in this book. All locks are dated and when known, 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 Iran: Pre-Islamic to Twentieth Century." In 2019 and 2020 the author edited his original book adding new text and a great number of new high-quality photos of locks which have been added to his collection in the 44 years since the first book was published. Hardcover, 144 pages, 10-inches x 8.5-inches, over 500 photos and drawings.
In Iran, the padlock was developed in an amazing variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and mechanisms, the likes of which are less frequently encountered in Europe. On the whole, very little attention has been devoted to the history and development of the lock in Iran.
Parviz Tanavoli, Iran's leading sculptor, was first attracted to the locks of his own country because of their sculptural qualities. In this beautiful and informative book the author shares with us, in over 500 photos and drawings, the most interesting examples of locks from his famous collection which was first introduced to the American public by the Smithsonian Institute on the occasion of the American Bicentennial. You will also find detailed drawings which clearly illustrate the workings of the various locking mechanisms (e.g., barbed-spring, helical-spring, notched-shackle, hook and revolving catch, etc.) used in the locks in this book. All locks are dated and when known, 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 Iran: Pre-Islamic to Twentieth Century." In 2019 and 2020 the author edited his original book adding new text and a great number of new high-quality photos of locks which have been added to his collection in the 44 years since the first book was published.
Hardcover, 144 pages, 10-inches x 8.5-inches, over 500 photos and drawings.
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Another brass figural lock with a shackle-spring<br />
appears in Pank<strong>of</strong>er’s Schlussel und Schloss (pp.<br />
38, 39), in the form <strong>of</strong> an eagle. Pank<strong>of</strong>er calls it<br />
merely “Oriental.” The third published lock is a<br />
lion and the fourth is a centaur shooting a bow<br />
and arrow. Both are illustrated in Du Khorassan<br />
au pays des Backhtiaris: Trois mois de voyage en<br />
Perse (Vol. II, photos following p. 88), by Henry<br />
René d’Allemange, who evidently bought them<br />
in Iran while traveling there. He calls them<br />
eighteenth to nineteenth century <strong>Iranian</strong>. In<br />
addition to these four published locks there is an<br />
unpublished lock in the Ethnological Museum<br />
in Tehran that is very like No. 155. Given the<br />
similarity <strong>of</strong> style, workmanship, and quality<br />
<strong>of</strong> engraving as well as the identical materials,<br />
mechanisms, and construction that all the above<br />
cited locks seem to have, there can be little doubt<br />
that they were all part <strong>of</strong> one tradition <strong>of</strong> lockmaking.<br />
Lock 156. Brass standing man with shackle-spring mechanism,<br />
16th–17th century. Width 3 cm, height 7 cm.<br />
Lock 157. Brass lion with<br />
shackle-spring mechanism,<br />
16th–17th century. Width<br />
4.5 cm, height 4 cm.<br />
82
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