How to I pick this lock?

Nice Georgian rosewood, and English. That decoration style is quite common. As @Bronwen rightly says, an angled lid will mean writing slope.

 

I would try it at first with a wire (1,5mm? paperclip?) bended in an angle at the end as a key beard. And then try to turn, wiggeling up-down and left-right.
Old locks aren't that 'good' so you'll have a good chance.

 

Well, when you do get it open, post a photo, please!

 

I got in! We went to a crappy flea market today and i ended up buying a little ring of old keys. Tried all the likely one when we got home. No dice. Boyfriend tried. No luck. Watched a video of a man making an old timey key and decided to just try again. 30 seconds of spinning and it popped open!

No treasure but I can use it. It is in rough shape but better than I feared. No dead mice .

The key on the right was taped to the inside of the lid! It won't be stored in there again. The wee key on the left is the one that worked.

Bonus- there is a key for a bentwood singer case that SHOULD work on one I have with the lock in the locked position so lid doesnt properly close. Fingers crossed! Further bonus- now I have keys to try for my great-grandmother's violin case since I lost that key in grade 5 .

Thanks all for your help and suggestions! You guys gave me the confidence to play around with it.

 

Good job on picking the lock!

I was about to say - these old box-locks are rarely very complicated. With enough trial and error, they're usually quite easy to pick. Just need the time and patience to do it.

If you are the type of person who collects old boxes (jewelry boxes, sewing boxes, writing cases, etc), then it's a good idea to keep a stash of antique keys lying around in a shoebox or something, for future lockpicking endeavors. That's what I do, and it saves a lot of time.

Also, it's fun picking these old locks.

 

Those singer bentwood locks are very easy to pick. A screwdriver can open them. But yes, it's always best to have the original key.

 

I put the ring of keys on my regular keychain . I am impatient sonetimes. I was going tongo to the locksmith tomorrow...

 

It's at my folks so I can't test it yet. Tried picking it - I even have printed instructions howntucked in the case. I think I was too scared to wreck it. I'm either too gentle or too rough . Impatient...

 

To pick a Singer bentwood lock:

Shove a 3mm flathead screwdriver into the lock, and twist.

Done.

Optional: Lubricant, for a jerky lock.