Oldest safes in the world

[Tom Gordon]

What would the people here consider the oldest safes in the world?

Hobnail Safes were banded iron riveted on hardwood normally oak - there is one at Breamore in Hampshire, 17th/18th century.

[chubbbramah]

Surely the earliest security was 'strongboxes'? The 'receptacle safe from fire and theft' was due to Marr's fireproof lining patent of 1834, I submit. I date the safe from that.
Logically, 'plate safes', which have no fire protection, ought to be called 'secures', but that battle was lost long ago.

[Tom Gordon]

Surely the earliest security was 'strongboxes'? The 'receptacle safe from fire and theft' was due to Marr's fireproof lining patent of 1834, I submit. I date the safe from that.
Logically, 'plate safes', which have no fire protection, ought to be called 'secures', but that battle was lost long ago.

i agree with you that nothing used to be properly secure but if you think in more general terms, about strongboxes that were more than merely wooden boxes, the hobnails were a progression from wooden boxes in that they were covered in metal and came before cast strongboxes and other all metal strongboxes.
How old were the oldest hobnails or other variants?

[Huw Eastwood]

Suppose it depends how you want to define a safe, but if hobnails count then the Roman arca ferrata are much older again. Not that many have survived but there are a few examples plus buildings left with the base remnants of the concrete platform with a central iron anchor bolt.

While the Romans were undoubtedly superb engineers they didn't necessarily invent everything they were given credit for, and the arca ferrata safes might have been copied or adapted from earlier Mesopotamian, Syrian, Indian(etc) ideas.

[Tom Gordon]

Suppose it depends how you want to define a safe, but if hobnails count then the Roman arca ferrata are much older again. Not that many have survived but there are a few examples plus buildings left with the base remnants of the concrete platform with a central iron anchor bolt.

While the Romans were undoubtedly superb engineers they didn't necessarily invent everything they were given credit for, and the arca ferrata safes might have been copied or adapted from earlier Mesopotamian, Syrian, Indian(etc) ideas.

Yes and here is one from AD79!

[BBE]

Yes and here is one from AD79!

Is that from PomPeii? Cool.
BBE.

[safeman]

Surely the earliest security was 'strongboxes'? The 'receptacle safe from fire and theft' was due to Marr's fireproof lining patent of 1834, I submit. I date the safe from that.
Logically, 'plate safes', which have no fire protection, ought to be called 'secures', but that battle was lost long ago.

Yes. Strongboxes or Chests. Used by Merchants who took them on their travels in coaches and Inns hence the handles.
The Marr Patent was a laughing stock at the time. The early makers such as Edward Tann and Leadbetter who both supplied the lockmaker Chubb made wrought iron Bookcases and Cupboards with their own locks fitted.

Thos. Milner's moisture generating compound captured the market. It was copied by Tann who were forced to alter their mixture in conformity.

Plate Safes were so catalogued for the protection of Silver Plate in the Butler's Pantry.

Edward Tann and Leadbetters both made safes for Chubb and began to fit linings and filling the space with whitening which was Chubb's version of fire-resisting lining.

[Doug MacQueen]

I knew Tom was setting us up. Hey Tom nice find.