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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    3
    Country: Australia

    Default accidental collector chasing info

    Hi team, I have recently inherited a J Tann. reliance safe from my grandfather and am hoping to source the right info to restore it to it's former glory days. Long story short, my granddad bought a shop back in the late 50's which was an old bank. The safe was left there when the bank moved out. They said he could keep the safe (it was empty) and it was moved to his house where it sat for the last 50+ years. I have all the keys and everything works perfectly, except the door has a slight droop when closed. When I work out how to I will post some photos and hopefully get some much needed info on it.

    cheers, Dimmy
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_4206.JPG   IMG_4208.JPG  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Dimmy, your wonderful old John Tann Reliance safe was probably made in the early 1860's just after Edward Tann died and his son John set about modernising the company. There will pobably be a serial number stamped into the top moving bolt which might be in the region of 1150. Unfortunately the records of Tann numbers around this time have long disappeared but I have seen similar safes to yours from Australia with similar numbers.

    John Tann set up a number of agents including Brush & MacDonnell Sydney, A. Abrahams Adelaide, and A.M Hertzberg Brisbane. They also participated in the Sydney Exhibition of 1879.

    I will attach one or two images which may prove to be of interest. If you wish to learn the full history of the Tann company you might have a look at my Safeman website under the heading of Edward Tann & Sons.

    http://www.safeman.org.uk


    Click image for larger version. 

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    The safe looks as if it is in pretty good condition as it stands and would probably need no more than a wash down and a coat of
    semi-matt varnish.

    It is probably a No.2 quality which would have a body of 1/4" wrought iron plate and a door 'made-up' to about 1" thickness by having 1/8" outer and inner plates sandwiched over bar iron outer frame and spacers.

    A great piece of Industial Archaeological history.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Cornhill robbery (2).jpg  

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    3
    Country: Australia

    Default

    Cheers safeman, thanks for the info. I will check for a serial # for sure. Inside the door it is stamped with patent 6256- is this of any relevance?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_4211.jpg  

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dimmy View Post
    Cheers safeman, thanks for the info. I will check for a serial # for sure. Inside the door it is stamped with patent 6256- is this of any relevance?
    Where exactly is this stamped?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    3
    Country: Australia

    Default

    It's on the inside of the door in the middle

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dimmy View Post
    It's on the inside of the door in the middle
    That will just be the cast number for the plate.

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