Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co., Stamford, Connecticut - 2 movements,  Y-261

The lock has a creepy anthropomorphic look. When closed there is a pair of bulging eyes behind a face mask like someone is trapped inside, and when opened a full blown "face in shock". This could not have been helpful with customer sales.

Model Y-261, c. 1915.  Used in Ely Norris Cannonball safes (so named because of their overall ball-like shape). Seth Thomas pie shaped Type Y movements. These movements were unique to this style of time lock which, in turn, was unique to this style of safe making this style of time lock quite collectible. The two movement example was made concurrently with Yale's more popular Y-361 which contained three movements (see photos). The three movement version, the Y-361 was quite popular eventually selling about three thousand units, of which a few hundred currently exist. The two movement was probably a cheaper version, however the price differential was not enough to make this lock saleable. According to John Erroll's book "Of this model there is no known photo, engraving, illustration, or surviving example of the Y-261, Yale's production ledgers as well as scattered instructions and maintenance documents make clear that that the Y-261 was produced and sold, if only in limited numbers".(1) That is until this one, and over the past several years two others have surfaced for a total of three known. The low case number, 43,  compared to the very high numbers seen on the Y-361 attest to this. The fourth photo shows two separate stamps on the rear case, one designating the more common Y-361 and another stamped Y-261. Clearly Yale was taking cases that were in production for the better selling Y-361 and custom-machining them for the less popular Y-261. This lock, like the the three movement model, contained a key wound bolt motor which would actuate and then withdraw the safe door bolts when the timers would permit. Cannonball type safes were one of the most popular models made and many time lock companies made locks that could work in this type of safe such as Diebold, Banker's Dustproof, as well as Yale's LS31 and Triple L . 6 1/8" dia. x 3"d. Case#43, movements #Y2776, Y2778. file 157

These two photos show a Yale trioval-shaped movement in its original presentation case, probably used as a salesmen sample or within the Yale administrative branch as an award or achievement piece. One interesting aspect here is the serial number, 2777. this is exactly between the two serial numbers extant on the two movement example shown above, 2776 and 2778.

The photo below shows the safe where this lock was originally installed.