John Tann's Reliance Door

[sparkyskey]

Richard, I spotted this on a local auction website and remembered the one you had posted. This one obviously not painted as nicely as yours - and it also says door, not safe. Wasn't sure if it was rubbish or worth posting? What would it have been used on? Cheers for now - Sarah

[oldlock]

Would have been a strongroom (vault) door. Originally brightly painted they look quite good.

[Huntlocks]

Yep, probably a strongroom door. They are seen in old solicitors buildings as well as bank vaults. The doors would have been fitted in big office buildings too.

I don't know if the plaques were plain or coloured or the dating thereof - may be someone could help??

My painted one is nice, though dull colours browns and cream. I mentioned I saw one in silver and red - very smart but one needs to be a bit artistic - and not exactly 'original'. Nice for Philistines like me but no good for officionados like Old Paul or Old Tom.

There is a cheap Milner escutheon on ebay as we speak,by the way.

Did you see the round Chatwood escutcheon which went fo £70!! Phew, I've got one of those - it's in my photo selection.

Hey ho, lovely Easter Sunday. Saw my daughter yesterday she has a baby in a few days time..... grandchild number one...yippee - just thought I'd mention it! Nothing to do with antique locks just want to TELL EVERYBODY.

...sorry, too much red wine with dinner.

[Tom Gordon]

The cast iron ones came in two sizes and all sorts of colours as well as in chrome but I don't personally think that any of them were pretty but maybe when they were new then......They look good when stripped of paint and wirebrushed and polished.
I doubt that you do have one of those Chatwoods - it was a quintuple with a horizontal keyway -go check Richard :-)
Cheers
Old Tom

[Huntlocks]

Ahhh right...

The one I have is on my first posting, fourth pic.

Yeah I can see a difference - I should think my one is a bit smaller. Can't check right now but pretty sure it's a simple single bitted key hole escutcheon.

Thanks for letting me down lightly, I thought I was going to be RICH.

Cheers, Rich

[sparkyskey]

Boys, boys, boys ... too much chocolate as well perhaps?? Such a burst of activity!

Richard - congratulations on the imminent arrival of your first grandchild :-) How exciting - we will look forward to hearing the news of their arrival.

As for the escutcheon - yes think I had it on our list thanks - but decided against it - my mother warned me about 'swingers'!! What we actually need are a couple of the 'sliders'. Think it was a little newer than we want too as it had extra wording on the face plate.

Thanks to everyone for their info - those strongroom doors always make me smile. One of my first jobs involved dealing with a huge, heavy combination lock door. I can't remember the make - but it was a beast. It opened into a small room that kept a few musty records, some stationery and petty cash. Petty cash was never much and although I'm a bit of a stationery fiend, I had the combination. So the door wasn't really protecting much. It wasn't until shortly before I left that I found out that the walls of the room were made of plaster board and nothing else!! Although I know most other business' with strongroom doors will be a little more security orientated than my previous employer I always smile about it when I see them.

Enjoy the rest of your Easter break. Cheers Sarah

[Huntlocks]

Oh my goodness Sarah

You say 'I'm a bit of a stationery fiend' - you don't collect paper too do you?

I met a bloke once who told a story about going to an African country to open a diamond vault. When he got there he found a tank shell embedded in the door. No use trying to pick that lock. In desperation he started hacking at the wall to find it was a simple 9" brick wall - I summarise of course. He managed to spin it out for a couple of pints.

Hay ho, where's my Easter egg?

R

[sparkyskey]

Hey Richard - lol, liked the diamond mine story. I can imagine the spinning would have taken quite some time. Can't say I had thought about using a tank shell to open something - but then again looks like it didn't work anyway. As for paper - no not me, my mother does though - perhaps it is hereditory?? Cheers for now Sarah

[Ian D. Lewis]

Heres one I came across last week along with its brother from the the back chamber. Also a picture of the door they came from.
The addres on these is different to the address on your.
Yours being 11 Newgate street and mine being 117.
Bolt number fo the door is 45.549.
The fact it remains in original livery is due to it being in a basement.

Ian

[Tom Gordon]

Did you get the locks as well as the plates? I was not sure what a 9a would have on it.
Cheers
Tom