info on antique Herring Farrel Banker's safe please...

[NatSafeMatt]

Hello everyone...any information on this safe would be greatly appreciated. It hasn't been delivered yet so these picts are just picts of picts on my computer screen...i can post better ones when the safe gets here if need be. It's measurements are 58 inches tal, 32 wide, and 28 deep. Thanks a bunch!!

[Dean Nickel]

Love to get better pics of the bolt work and the locks inside and out. Nice find!

[bbcci]

Hi Matt, Looks like you have you have your work cut out for you on this one. A nice looking safe! Can't wait to see what to see what it looks like when your done.
I took this excerpt from a Terry Andreasen reply.
"FARREL–HERRING SAFE COMPANY 1869-1885, Philadelphia, PA
1861 merger between Herring & Farrel, but they kept the names separate until 1869. The two factories remained in Philadelphia and New York. Safes manufactured at the Philadelphia plant were labeled as Farrel-Herring and safes manufactured at the New York plant were labeled as Herring-Farrel.

In 1885, the concerns were consolidated under the Herring label, though some safes were still labeled as Farrel occassionally. In 1892, the Herring Safe & Lock Company, including the Farrel Safe works, merged with "Hall's Safe & Lock Company" and the "Marvin Safe Company", to form "Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Company". HHM lasted until they were acquired by Diebold in 1959. During a subsequent "anti-monopoly" suit brought against Diebold, they were ordered to close down or sell HHM and the York Safe company.

Ok, now you have a brief history of the safe companies. If your safe has the Farrel-Herring logo on the Castor supports, the safe would be from the 1869-1885 period. Accurately IDing, ageing or evaluating the safe will require photos."

There is also a great picture on this site of what appears to be original artwork on a similar model.
herring farell safe

Hope that is some help. Bill

[Doug MacQueen]

Matt, these may help with the paint. Also do a search on here for Herring Farrel. There is another nice chest with original paint stuck in the Misc. Question section. Doug

[NatSafeMatt]

Thanks a bunch Doug and Bill...it is greatly appreciated!! When it gets here Doug you'll have to check it out...i'll let you know.

[Doug MacQueen]

Thanks Matt. Bill, you may want to tell Terry that he might want to amend his history of Herring Farrel a wee bit. This chest is from a 1867 catalog. Doug

[bbcci]

Good eye Doug! Thanks for the correction.

[Doug MacQueen]

Pretty sure the PT stands for patent. If the Yale timelock is original to the chest, that would probably date it around 1890 or so. As for "Champion", I have seen it used on Herring fire safes several times but not on the money chests. But in written info, it sounds like it was used for the chests as well. Kind of like Herring's widespread use of "Dexter" for the various lock models. Doug

[Ironworker]

Pretty sure the PT stands for patent. If the Yale timelock is original to the chest, that w ould probably date it around 1890 or so. As for "Champion", I have seen it used on Herring fire safes several times but not on the money chests. But in written info, it sounds like it was used for the chests as well. Kind of like Herring's widespread use of "Dexter" for the various lock models. Doug

Hi, can anyone give me a value on this safe and would the history affect the value. A brief history is that I found this safe in Carbondale Colorado about 15 years ago, it was at a garage sale and was actually in the garage since 1929. In 29 it was taken out of the bank of aspen in Aspen Colo during the crash. I bought it from I believe the bank presidents daughter, the family gave us more in depth info but was verbal. I think this can all be documented with research, anyway it makes for a long and interesting story. If someone can shed any light on this it woud be great and thanks.
If you need more pics than I have supplied let me know.

[Tom Gordon]

That is a very interesting triple door. Was that body construction common in 1867 and was it cast?