Accession Number
2009/2.57

Title
Lock for Chest

Artist(s)
Korean

Artist Nationality
Korean (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
late 19th–early 20th century

Medium & Support
metal

Dimensions
2 11/16 x 5 11/16 x 1 7/16 in. (6.8 x 14.3 x 3.6 cm);5/8 x 6 7/16 x 5/8 in. (1.5 x 16.3 x 1.5 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Ok Ja Chang and the Chang Family

Physical Description
A large metal bar lock, similar to a u-bar lock fitted with a long key, meant to use as a lock for a chest.

The shape and structure of this lock conform to those of the conventional “ㄷ”-shaped type of lock. However, its round body resembles the shape of a pipe when viewed from the side. This type of lock was most frequently used for locking small chests and boxes. It was made by forging and soldering iron. The tip of the key resembles the letter “T” in shape, standing at an angle perpendicular to the handle.

[Korean Collection, University of Michigan Museum of Art (2017), 245]

Primary Object Classification
Furniture and Furniture Accessories

Primary Object Type
lock

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Korean (culture or style)
dressers (chests of drawers)
keys (hardware)
locks (securing devices)