Chinese Jade Pi Pa Shaped Padlock, Brass, Moulded Dragons & Man's Head

Chinese Jade Set Pi Pa Shaped Padlock Dating From The 19th Century. The Padlock Modelled as a Pear-Shaped Guitar Styled Musical Instrument, Made Of Brass, Has Moulded Reliefs Of a Dragon In The Front and Similarly In The Back. The Padlock Comes With a Shaped Rod Key and a Finely Moulded Chinaman’s Head Finial. The Rod Is Inserted To Release The Padlock Bar Which Slots Into a Catch at The Back. A Polished Jade Cabochon Is Set Into The Body, and The Padlock Is Typically Not Marked. 

From the dawn of modern civilization, our ancestors developed a need to keep their belongings to themselves by using mechanical devices known as locks. Initially, those locks were only simple knots made from rope or other materials (they were used only to detect if someone tried to open them), but as the time went on and new technologies were developed, true locks made from wood and metal started being used across the world. Modern-day historians are unsure which ancient civilization was first to create mechanical locks, and many believe that Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans developed those skins independently from each other.

Item Code - LOC2B2262HAE

Width: 1 3/4"  Height: 6 5/8"  Depth: 1 1/4"  Weight: 144 g