For sale are these set of 3 RARE 1” antique (dated May 27, 1913 which is the patent date of this invention) U.S.Customs In Bond metal security seals/made by E.J.Brooks & Co. ,which was a historical manufacturer of tamper-evident security seals, wire lead seals, and utility metering equipment founded in 1873. The 1-inch pieces are antique, 1913-patent tamper-evident customs cargo seals.In the early 20th century, TydenBrooks (then E.J. Brooks & Co.) was contracted by the U.S. government to secure high-value import cargo.These are "cup"style mechanical security seals. They were used to lock up "In Bond" shipping crates, railcars, or sacks traveling through the Port of Boston. "In Bond" meant the goods were moving through the U.S. but duties had not yet been paid.The Odd Backing: The strange configuration on the back is the locking mechanism. A thick wire or metal ribbon was looped through a latch on the cargo door, and both ends were threaded into the back of this button-like piece. A customs official would then use a specialized crimping tool to smash the back mechanism shut, permanently trapping the wire inside.The crossed keys on the front are the official historical symbol of the U.S. Customs Service, representing security, authority, and the guarding of ports of entry.The May 27, 1913 patent date refers directly to E.J. Brooks' revolutionary design for self-locking or high-security ball/cup seals, which could not be pried open without showing obvious damage. These are very hard to find because these seals had to be destroyed & thrown away after use. These are a cool piece of history..
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