I have a mortise door lock - no idea what brand and what model. It is
missing two pins and took it around to different locksmiths and no one knows
how to fix it. Finally this locksmith told me if I left the mortise with
him:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-...0906/lock1.JPG

This is what the lock with handles look like:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-...6/sideview.JPG

Now after a few days he called me back and said he found a replacement
mortise. He said it will be $250 just for that part.

Now I know there are expensive locks out there like Baldwin and they run
$200 or over, but that includes the handles and hardware. Can a mortise be
actually $250 on a nameless lock? Can he be trying to rip me off? He would
not tell me where he found it or what brand it is.

Thanks in advance,

MC