Lever pouch padlock

1832

This is a brass padlock, the front of which is marked "UNITED STATES GT MAIL.” The abbreviation "GT" may be for the term "great," a synonym for "through" mail, indicating it was used to secure mailbags that were only to be opened at a distributing post office. The back of the case is engraved with the manufacturer’s name: "J. D. Boteler. " John D. Boteler (1800-1881) was a locksmith in Washington, DC, and made locks for the Post Office Department along with his business partner George Washington Lewis.