Lock Collectors Hall of Fame

Franklin M. Arnall

Bio

Frank Arnall was born June 28th, 1918, deceased June 20th 2001, age 83. He was a man of many talents and wide experience. Frank was in the Army Corps of Engineers. He graduated with an engineering degree in Tulsa, OK. He designed chemical plants for Monsanto, and also designed refineries and valves for rockets. Frank had an interest in locks since childhood.

Frank was slowed down somewhat in his later years with emphysema, but still maintained a keen interest in the collection of locks and rocks.

Contributions to Lock Collecting

The Hobby

He began collecting in earnest when his children were young. He found opportunities for lock hunting while his wife Mary was shopping for antiques.

His two sons remain active lock collectors and still have his world class collection in excess of 7500 locks.

Affiliations

Frank was on the board of directors for the Lock Museum of America.

He was one of the founders of The West Coast Lock Collectors club in 1978.

Accomplishments

He was a pioneer in the hobby of collecting railroad locks, which has become a very popular field for collectors.

He is remembered most by lock collectors for his major contribution of photographing and valuing antique padlocks in his book, The Padlock Collector from the first edition in 1962 until the sixth edition in 1996.

The Padlock Collector