.:: Keypicking :: Anything And Everything For Locksmiths, Hobbyist Lock Pickers, Locksport, Lock Picking, lockpicks, cutaways and Security. Simply The Best Lockpicking Forum Around!

I think I can be of help in identifying the manufacturer of this padlock. I have one very similar, but without the Sengpiel name. Back in 1981 I wrote a letter to the lock museum in Velbert. I received a reply from Herr Oetelshofen who identified it as having been made by the firm of Damm & Ladwig in Velbert. The company was founded in 1886 and was taken over by Yale & Towne in 1927. Notice the similarities - the shape, the key, and that oak leaf on the keyhole cover.

dicey wrote:Hey Oldfast,

I think I know this company! I have to take in my old books to look up the information but I'm gone do that later if it is alright with you. The padlock is made in Germany could be from Velbert.
What I can tell you so far is that this padlock was probably been made between around 1900. It has to be made before 1945, you can tell that by looking at the stamping D.R.G.M. It stands for Deutsches Reichs Gebrauchs Muster and was the smaller brother of the Deutsches Reichs Patent (D.R.P). The D.R.G.M lasted for 10 years and had not as many controls and restrictions as the D.R.P and it also was only valid in Germany. It exceeded in 1945 because the German Reich was no more. Here is a video about a old lock in mint condition with the same stamping:

http://youtu.be/Qp4yKAB-iQk

porcelainmarksandmore.com wrote:The acronym D.R.G.M. with or without punctuation stands for Deutsches Reichsgebrauchsmuster, meaning that the design or function of an item was officially registered inside all of the Germany states and not only locally registered as it was the case before the introduction of centralized registration. [...]

D.R.G.M. registration was introduced 1891 and if you are dating items you should hold in mind that even during Allied occupation up until 1949, registration procedures remained untouched and still used the D.R.G.M. registration documents, which of course explains why D.R.G.M. marks can be found on products actually manufactured up until 1952 as the registration itself was valid for three years. As from the end of October 1952, all registrations were definately marked with 'Deutsches Bundesgebrauchsmuster' (D.B.G.M.) or simply with 'Gebrauchsmuster' or 'Gebrauchsmusterschutz', see below.