My graal milners at home ! need informations

[stephane]

Hi, i am a very lucky man today : i finally found my graal milners after an epic 24hrs travel in Uk with fantastic people. that was exactly what i researched : big bolted door with the original transfert and "jeweler" interior amenagement (wood drawers with velvet carpet) i don't have the original key but a new one. there is #7035 on the up front left and #187899 on the up front right.
i will be happy if an expert could told me what's the year of this beauty.

merci beaucoup

[safeman]

i will be happy if an expert could told me what's the year of this beauty.

merci beaucoup[/QUOTE]

Stephane,

Congratulations, a real beauty.

This is a Milner List 3 which, from the lock number was made between 1881-1882.
This square bodied safe was made up until 1919 at which time Milner started to bend the ¼" steel bodies from a single plate.

[stephane]

thank you very much for the detail and fast reply. do you have an advice for the treatment ? keep it as this ? external resto with original color or fully customized ? i really like the interior so don't want to touch but the external don't match with my home. i don't want to do a "sacrilege"

[safeman]

thank you very much for the detail and fast reply. do you have an advice for the treatment ? keep it as this ? external resto with original color or fully customized ? i really like the interior so don't want to touch but the external don't match with my home. i don't want to do a "sacrilege"

Stephane,

Of course it's up to you, but personally I would just give it a good clean to remove any loose dirt and then give it a coat of egg-shell varnish on the outside.

[stephane]

Ok i will consider seriously but some area are fully rust, anyway i will wait before attack. another point : do you have any ideas or example of embase to rise this safe and look matching ? i prefer and it's useful when safes are closer to eyes, attached a photo of a Bauche that i fully customize with a Fichet embase, and to tell true i don't use the Fichet one : to much down.

[safeman]

Ok i will consider seriously but some area are fully rust, anyway i will wait before attack. another point : do you have any ideas or example of embase to rise this safe and look matching ? i prefer and it's useful when safes are closer to eyes, attached a photo of a Bauche that i fully customize with a Fichet embase, and to tell true i don't use the Fichet one : to much down.

Stephane,
As regards the rust, one possibility is just to remove it with a wire brush before varnishing but it that leaves it too unsightly then you then repaint the body but leave the door in the original finish.
I attach an illustration of some old safe stands from the 1920's. These are hand made by carpenters of very sturdy timbers. I would estimate that your Milner will weigh almost 500kgs.