Moving safes and a bonus find

[Huw Eastwood]

Tom beat me to it there- couldn't find a useable picture of that curved style Chatwood drop handle, most seem to be the rectangular shaped straight sided ones.
That curvy style drop and those distinctive hinges always seemed like blatant copies of Chatwoods design.

[Chubby]

You can see why the merger made such startlingly good safes.

[Tom Gordon]

You can see why the merger made such startlingly good safes.

[safeman]

Which model of the old heavy banded Milners was it that had the drop down bolt throwing handle? It looked sort of like a stirrup.

Chubby, I've just been catching up with things after 2 weeks in hospital without wi-fi. This is one of the very earliest of Thos. Milner's safes with the single keyway of the Thos.Turner detector lock and the drop handle to which you referred. Date approximately 1850. Never seen one of a later date.

Am puzzled by Huw's photograph of what looks identical to a Chatwood Standard Quality but with a Milner escutcheon. Perhaps the anaesthetic hasn't worn off yet.

[Tom Gordon]

Chubby, I've just been catching up with things after 2 weeks in hospital without wi-fi. This is one of the very earliest of Thos. Milner's safes with the single keyway of the Thos.Turner detector lock and the drop handle to which you referred. Date approximately 1850. Never seen one of a later date.

Am puzzled by Huw's photograph of what looks identical to a Chatwood Standard Quality but with a Milner escutcheon. Perhaps the anaesthetic hasn't worn off yet.

Hmmm -that drop handle doesnt look like it really fits the rose while the escutcheon doesnt look as though it is screwed on quite straight...or is it just my eyes?

[safeman]

Hmmm -that drop handle doesnt look like it really fits the rose while the escutcheon doesnt look as though it is screwed on quite straight...or is it just my eyes?

I imagine that this might only be a pull handle. To what escutcheon do you refer?

[Tom Gordon]

I imagine that this might only be a pull handle. To what escutcheon do you refer?

Huw's post #18

[Gary Stephenson]

Gary, your Milner dates from between 1890 and 1915 at which time they changed to round boltwork (Improved Patent). The letter prefix of the serial number will confirm the actual year.

The body plate thickness in this size is ¼". Incidentally, the Wedge Guards as fitted to Milner and many other makes was the invention of a Manchester policeman after the Cornhill Robbery in 1865 but the Patent initially taken out by Milner was never pursued.

Cheers, the lock number was
I
Y928
if that narrows it down further.

[safeman]

Cheers, the lock number was
I
Y928
if that narrows it down further.

Gary, Milner prefix 'Y' was made in 1913.

1920 catalogue.

[Chubby]

Of course there is no guarantee that it is the original lock.