Gene Anderson at 1978 ALOA Convention

Gene Anderson at 1978 ALOA Convention in New Orleans

Look closely at this this computer-generated image of Anderson Lock founder Gene Anderson. You’ll see alpha-numeric characters, printed by a dot-matrix printer, on perforated, continuous form paper. The large, 15 x 15-inch, portrait was a Taylor Lock Company giveaway at the 1978 ALOA (Associated Locksmiths of America) Convention in New Orleans.

According to “Early Locks and Lockmakers of America,” a limited edition book from Gene’s personal library, Max Taylor was a locksmith and toolmaker who opened a key blank manufacturing business in 1920. He developed, or refined, the mechanical processes of making replacement key blanks which matched original specifications as accurately as possible. In 1978, Taylor Lock  Company was being run by two of Max Taylor’s grandsons, who also followed the motto, “Taylor® made for locksmiths.”

The Taylor key blank business is now a part of Kaba Ilco, the world’s largest manufacturer of the most extensive line of key blanks on the market today.

Computer-image technology has come a long way since “ASCII Art” like this was trending! But the “asterisk frame” and the use of letters, numbers and symbols to create a photo-like image was high-tech at the time!