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I’ve acquired this new Chubb plaque and didn’t realise until I stripped and polished it that it’s actually had the warrant badge added separately. It’s a pressed & cast brass. The lion and unicorn are cast brass and added by three tiny brass rivets to the reverse of the plaque. Other than the versions with the sliding escutcheon covers this is the first plaque I’ve came across made of separate parts brought together.
The fancy badge on early Tanns had two vertical spikes at the bottom which went behind the main part of the plainer badge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Warren63
It may have denoted different levels of security.
yours is more likely to indicate that the queen had just died and they hadn’t made the new stamp yet
That’s interesting to know, the queen dying never entered my thoughts for a reason. I can’t say I’ve ever seen (or remember) the early Tann plaque with the spikes your mentioning Tom.
Here is the TannQuote:
Originally Posted by Warren63
Nice one Tom, I knew you wouldn’t let the side down! You’ve actually solved a mystery for me too. I actually have the royal warrant part , and I thought it was from a European safe and the two lugs slotted into the top of the safe. It’s quite a heavy little piece for its size, I actually thought it was lead at first because of it’s weight, I very nearly stuck it back on eBay as a ‘foreigner’. I also have the oblong section but it’s not original to the other part as it doesn’t have the grooves cut out , and I acquired them separately. I now have a mission trying to find the part with the cut outs. Do the cutouts look like they were cast into the plaque or do you think they were added after casting?
Added afterwards if that safe required the crestQuote:
Originally Posted by Warren63
I actually bought some plaques privately off a bloke selling a collection he’d acquired, and I specifically remember seeing the two parts separately. Not being a collector he had no reason to associate them together, and myself not knowing either again thought it was a European piece. Thanks for your info and time Tom. I appreciate your efforts hunting them out and explaining.
The Royal Crest was used by quite a number of safemakers in Victorian times without any justification (apart from Chubb) and purely for self aggrandisement and which would now be totally unlawful.Quote:
Originally Posted by Warren63
The Tann version mentioned would have allowed the crest to be attached above the basic Reliance plate in special cases which mainly appear to have been when exported to the Antipodes.
A much more appropriate and lawful Crest for a London safemaker would have been as on the attached which is the crest of the City of London.
Attachment 21417
Yes I have a couple of the those London Tann plaques with the dragons as opposed to the lion and unicorn. Although I don’t have the very same wording on mine as your picture shows. If I remember rightly the Latin translated as ‘lord guide us’ . I’ve read a few of the conspiracy theories about it too but they’re a bit too controversial to even give them the time of day. I’m pleased I never sold this Tann one from the two part thinking it was a foreigner. I would’ve been kicking myself. The majority of the warrants separate from the plaque that I’ve came across are usually the pressed versions by Heatons of Birmingham. They usually have either a diamond or a oval shield in the centre, which either has something to do with how long the king or queen has reigned or it denotes a different monarch. I can never remember which to be honest.
Well slap me with a wet kipper! I’ve just had a ratch about among my plaques and when I look at the back of my plaque it has the grooves in already and I’ve never noticed before! Amazing!