Welcome to our world exploring the Historical, Political and Technological aspects of Locks, Keys and Safes

Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    4
    Country: England

    Default New member, Milners safe

    Hi to all
    hope someone can be of help,I've acquired what I believe is a milners safe ,no front plate.
    ive seen one just like it on eBay described as a Home Office safe .
    size 510x510x660.
    found a number stamped on front of top 130619 no prefix as I can see .
    any help to put an age to this safe would be appreciated,
    regards bob
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_0246.JPG  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Hello Bob and welcome. Someone should be able to pin it down by the number, it's before the dates listed in the HoL Library section.

    All I can add is its pre-1890 square cornered construction and looks like a List 2 fire resisting model, probably late 1870's or 1880's at a guess.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    4
    Country: England

    Default Many thanks

    Quote Originally Posted by Huw Eastwood View Post
    Hello Bob and welcome. Someone should be able to pin it down by the number, it's before the dates listed in the HoL Library section.

    All I can add is its pre-1890 square cornered construction and looks like a List 2 fire resisting model, probably late 1870's or 1880's at a guess.
    Many thanks for your information.
    just nice to know the age of safe ,regards bob

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

    Default

    Hello Bob. As Huw says, this is a Milner List 2, a safe of fire-resisting quality with a measure of drill-resistance protecting the actual keylock.

    Milner did not start numbering their safes until 1889 before which the only number they bore was that of the lock. This number 130619 comes from a period close to 1871.

    Interestingly the keyway appears to consist of one vertcal slot whereas almost without exception the profile is of a double slot - one for key entry and the other for withdrawal. This represents Milner's Patent #405 of 1854 which restricts the movement of the key in order to limit the space in which gunpowder can be applied,

    The single keyhole on your safe, if I interpret it correctly, suggests that the lock could be a Milner 6-lever detector lock made by Thos. Turner. This is quite unusual as these locks were superceded by Milner's patent gunpowder-proof lock made by Hobbs & Co from 1852 to 1872.

    Do have the original key? If a Turner it will be a pipe key with 7 steps.

    Very interesting.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    4
    Country: England

    Default Milner

    Hi safeman pm,ed you .bob
    Last edited by Norfolkbob; 07-03-17 at 09:41 PM. Reason: Predictive text

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    4
    Country: England

    Thumbs up Many thanks

    Many thanks for all the time and information supplied by safeman, much appreciated

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •