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An Incredibly Clever Lock Design from 1680

John Wilkes' "detector lock" has two-factor identification

By Rain Noe - June 5, 2017

in Object Culture

Holland's Rijksmuseum has in their collection this "detector lock," created by a British locksmith named John Wilkes circa 1680. Made of nothing more complicated than brass and steel, it essentially has two-factor identification as you need to both possess the key and know how to operate the damn thing. And it's got a clever little counter:

Detector lock by John Wilkes from Victoria and Albert Museum on Vimeo.

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James Gilchrist

7 years ago

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There are lots of incredible keys and locks in the V&A museum, definitely worth a visit.

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