Chubb Ratner Hobbs Price safe locks

**Huw Eastwood** · 08-02-24, 04:17 PM

I'm still trying to get my head around the George Price. It's got some features of the Ne Plus Ultra powderproof but have never seen a variant anything like that!

**Brian Morland** · 08-02-24, 05:07 PM

is it the one that fits into the frame rather than the door? Slam latch action?

**Huw Eastwood** · 08-02-24, 05:53 PM

Aha, I'd totally forgotten about those! That would certainly explain it. I should've remembered-I've got an old photo somewhere my father took of one he worked on in the early 70s, so just before my time.
I never got to see it, and never encountered one out on site in all the years after.
Wonder if they offered that frame mounted set-up on book-room doors and low level SRD's or whether it was just that single oddball freestanding safe.

**Daniel John** · 09-02-24, 01:20 AM

Hi Brian, Gary and HUW

Regarding the Chubb detent, yes the detent has been removed from one of the pair. The anti-pick serrations on the top lever are slightly damaged, the other levers are fine.

Regarding the Hobbs Protector that has no curtain, I'm told it is significantly older than the curtained one.

Regarding the George Price, yes, it is the slam action type. Safe collectors I've spoken to say they've vary rarely seen this kind. HUW, would you mind sharing the photo you have of such a lock.

Am I right in thinking that these safe locks in my collection are very high quality, rare, and thus valuable (I'm happy to be corrected!). They all came from London, from the stock of a long-passed locksmith. They'd been in storage 40 years or more!

Dan

**Gary Stephenson** · 14-02-24, 05:20 PM

fantastic.

**safeman** · 14-02-24, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Gary Stephenson

fantastic.

I had one of these in the Safe Museum. The door was left open as the chamber had a very dramatic painted Victorian picture of masked burglars with their 'dark lamps' hovering around a Price safe with empty Swag Bags.

**Huw Eastwood** · 15-02-24, 09:46 AM

Great info again John, I looked back at the NePlus Ultra threads and found this which Daniel and others may also find of interest- safeman's post #20.
Again we are indebted to John (safeman) for making such incredible info available to all.

https://www.antique-locks.com/showth...e+20th+Century

**Daniel John** · 20-02-24, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by safeman

I had one of these in the Safe Museum. The door was left open as the chamber had a very dramatic painted Victorian picture of masked burglars with their 'dark lamps' hovering around a Price safe with empty Swag Bags.

Well, wouldn't you know it, amidst my ongoing research regarding my Price safe lock, I have happened upon this: An original, beautiful condition George Price 20th Century safe, for sale.

If I were in the UK i'd be buying this in a heartbeat. I'm sure it is worth every penny of the GBP400 being asked - the lock and keys alone would be! However, I'm not in the UK!

I recall that several of you have expressed disappointment at having never seen one, so here you go... It'd be great to see someone buy this very rare example of quality English engineering, from a bygone era. Judging from the years you have spent in the industry, it is people such as yourselves that deserve the privilege of owning such a piece.

Link to eBay listing (will need to be copied and pasted into your browser's search bar):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386792668...=&toolid=10050

All the advice thus far has been most appreciated. Coincidentally, I have also managed to track down the owner of another Price lock identical to mine. With the exception of a non-original spring and key (mine), our locks are the same - Mr Palmer's being number 1, mine no 11. His also has its original key, showing that these are, indeed, Price locks (there had been a suggestion to the contrary).

Credit to James T. Palmer for taking photos of his lovely lock for me, and for providing permission for them to be published here.