old desk

[philbluck]

Hi, I have an antique desk with a rolll top that locks when it is shut. My cleaners have inadvertently closed the lid whilst leaving the key in the drawers, this has locked the roll top and the draws so I am stuck!

As the desk is quite a valuable antique I am loathe to see it damaged, either by myself or some one who doesn't know what they are doing. The key hole has a brass surround that says 'Angus London', the lock itself I am sure is not very sophisticated. I just need to know how easy its going to be to pick and whether its something I can reasonably expect to do myself or should I get some one in to do it?

Come on guys, help me out

[Phatphish]

If you consider the desk valuable then the best thing to do is phone a reputable locksmith. They should be able to open it without any damage, and will be insured against any inadvertant mistakes.

[nostromo]

By the time you decide on the right tools to buy and how to learn them, well, it's probably not worth doing. You might also try a cabnet maker to see if there is a way to bypass the lock.

Good luck!