Ultimate & One-off Freestanding Safes

[Chubby]

Thanks for the info Chubby. Pics below of my 'base model' Bullion

Yes, that's the boy! Doubtless made for anybody poor who needed a safe of that quality so had to get an economy model. All the units from that epoch really strike a chord with me.

[oldlock]

Funny this should pop up now !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Safe-/3212...item4aca1b760b

[Safeone]

Huge old thing that is....... dont like to see safes chucked outside like that.

My experience is that things soon rust and sieze when exposed to the elements.

Cruelty to safes, cant abide it

[Huw Eastwood]

Yes, that's the boy! Doubtless made for anybody poor who needed a safe of that quality so had to get an economy model.

You got me with that one Chubby!!

I'd guess that Safeone's Bullion probably cost a third as much as a new Ford Escort back then, and with probably 10 or 15 safes in their range below the bullion, your scale has really got me thinking if that's an economy model for the poor!

Does that mean 'average' people would have opted for the Bankers, wealthy for the Treasury, and the extremely rich obviously for the Diamond- well they had no other choice really. They probably bought a 'brace' of them so they could put one in each room. The one for the bathroom obviously being modified by Tann's to prevent steam from their sauna from softening the soap!!

I can only envy your collection of safes there Safeone- probably surprising how many of us there are who'd do it if we could. When I look back at the number of safes our company and myself refused on the grounds of time, space, moving costs and manpower etc. It's great to see someone who can do it and keep some of those nice oldies going and to enjoy them.

When I started this thread I had hoped for some world-wide feedback on anything that extra bit special, but so far most responses have been standard production safes. It's still great to see and hear what's out there and thanks to everyone for your replies. Hopefully we'll still get to hear about some long lost monsters that have been overlooked.

When you consider British and European safes, top of the range standard production never really produced anything over a 6 inch door. By 6 inch I'm referring to the protective slab thickness and not overall. Add another few inches for the bolt case. Which raises a question about US safes- I think you guys over the pond refer to overall thickness when you say a 3 inch or 4 inch door?

Anyway 6 inch protective thickness in door and body walls was about the max and even that was rare- Fichet Bauche's GC68 Bankers from the late 1960s and 70s springs to mind, as does Rosengrens' Jupiter Treasury. Their older V3 might also- only ever saw one and a monster safe but can't remember if 6 inch or not.

One new possibilty I've heard of is the Australian Redoubt Treasury. What an elusive safe! An all Australian concept but made and sold under such closed secrecy I'm wondering if they've ever sold one. Apparently they only make 1 or 2 top end models which apparently has the magic 6 inch thick door and walls. Ultimate or one-off? probably not but perhaps someone down under has a bit more info- don't tell us too much as we don't want the men in black with the violin cases knocking at your door.. Oldlock? any ideas

[Huw Eastwood]

Whoops- apologies all round- Redoubt is New Zealand and not Australian. Don't know what I was thinking

[Safeone]

Found this 'ont' web

The Redoubt Safes Branch Bank Treasury is the most advanced High Security safe ever designed and built in New Zealand.

The Redoubt Safes Branch Bank Treasury is suitable for customers where extremely high risk commodities are involved (Gold Bullion Dealers, Diamond merchants, Jewellers)

Specifications are only available on request to serious buyers.

[Safeone]

...and this

[Huw Eastwood]

Yep that's the one- a seriously chunky safe. Looks like we'll have to pose as serious buyers then..

[Safeone]

Just browsing catalogue for the SLS Gem 6325 model. Tell you what that’s one hell of a unit that is.
Here are a few dimensions to wrestle with.
External
1911mm / 75 1/4inch High
947mm / 37 1/4 inch Wide
914mm / 36 inch Deep
Internal
1600mm / 63 inch High
635mm / 25 inch Wide
483mm / 19 inch Deep
Some thick walls to that beast. Catalogue claims that its minumum protective thickness is 6 1/8 inch / 156 mm.
The figures that really get me are the weight
6,925 Kgs / 15,260 lbs !!! Nearly 7 ton free standing safe. Beat that.