It is 1790, and you find yourself at 124 Piccadilly, London. As you stroll past the rows of shops, one window in particular catches your eye. Behind the glass of the Bramah Locks Company sits an unusual device — a lock that looks little like a modern padlock, but more formidable. Beneath it, a bold sign declares:
“The artist who can make an instrument that will pick or open this lock shall receive 200 guineas the moment it is produced.”
Over the years, hundreds of locksmiths—each confident in their craft—tried their hand at the challenge, yet all failed. This was the Bramah lock — a mechanical marvel that would remain unpicked for 67 years.
The Bramah Challenge Lock, now in the Science Museum in London. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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