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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default forgotten tann's from WWI in france.

    hi guys. unexpected small tann's found here from a old lady. very sensual proportion and damn very well made for the size. not fireproof and curious inside agencement with lost space under the drawer because hollow stand. the story claim by the lady : this safe arrived during the WWI with an english marine officier at le Havre. beautiful hand paint on the back but not sure of signification. of course all details are welcome. i am plan the remplacement of my nightstand by this beauty !
    thanks in advance
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Stephane well done yet another beauty in original condition! what a lovely 'baby' Tann, it will be interesting to see what background history unfolds on this one from the safe and lock numbers.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by stephane View Post
    hi guys. unexpected small tann's found here from a old lady. very sensual proportion and damn very well made for the size. not fireproof and curious inside agencement with lost space under the drawer because hollow stand. the story claim by the lady : this safe arrived during the WWI with an english marine officier at le Havre. beautiful hand paint on the back but not sure of signification. of course all details are welcome. i am plan the remplacement of my nightstand by this beauty !
    thanks in advance

    Hello again Stephane, you come up with the most interesting old safes.

    This one was made by the company of Robert Tann who was the nephew of John Tann the more famous safe maker. In the hope that he could benefit from the name he called his safes 'Defiance' being similar enough to John Tann's names 'Reliance'. Unlike J.Tann he did not hold any Patents for either locks or safes.

    Robert died in 1899 and in 1913 the name changed to R.Tann Defiance Safe & Lock co.Ltd. shortly after which the goodwill was sold to John Tann for £235 (1917).

    As they worked from a railway arch in London Fields Hackney with only a few employees it is hardly probable that they could form 12 corner bent bodied safes of this thickness. (see the heavily radiussed corners). It might even be conceivable that they subcontracted these to their near neighbour John Tann.

    This however was not a one-off as seen on these attachments. Don't take the American values as being anywhere near reality.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default

    Thanks guys. i will remove the lock to clean it. any idea on the W 300 with the arrow paint on the back ? after cleaning outside there is a blue line ( 5cms large) continuous on each side and the top of the safe ? something related with a military or navy history ? and the number paint on the top front ? is it because lot of safes was on the same place or this is something usual for this period ?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by stephane View Post
    Thanks guys. i will remove the lock to clean it. any idea on the W 300 with the arrow paint on the back ? after cleaning outside there is a blue line ( 5cms large) continuous on each side and the top of the safe ? something related with a military or navy history ? and the number paint on the top front ? is it because lot of safes was on the same place or this is something usual for this period ?
    Stephane,

    What you refer to will most likely be the weight at 3 cwts although if the safe is 20 inches high or more I would think the weight is more like 4 cwts.
    These details will merely be regarding the transport of the safe to France. The number on top front probably is an identification for the same purpose. Nothing concerning the actual safe as such.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default

    thanks safeman for all very good infos.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Epsom
    Posts
    14
    Country: UK

    Default Tann Defiance to Open

    Ive got one of these Tann Defiance Safes to open but surprisingly it has a double bitted key lock - any ideas on what the lock may be ? Best regards, Chris
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by chrisryan View Post
    Ive got one of these Tann Defiance Safes to open but surprisingly it has a double bitted key lock - any ideas on what the lock may be ? Best regards, Chris
    this is not a double bitted lock. As on a milner’s you retry the key on the opposite side when you lock/unlock

    hope that help

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by chrisryan View Post
    Ive got one of these Tann Defiance Safes to open but surprisingly it has a double bitted key lock - any ideas on what the lock may be ? Best regards, Chris
    This photograph will give an indication what the boltwork looks like. R.Tann claims to have used only his own locks but no information available. A hard plate appears to protect the tail strap a well as the lock.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    These keys are not necessarily related to the safe pictured.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Epsom
    Posts
    14
    Country: UK

    Default Tann Defiance to Open

    Thanks for the replies, very much appreciated, and all information, ideas, and pictures always useful. Judging from the picture of the keyhole though, I can't quite follow the logic of putting the key in one way up to lock, and then the other way up to unlock as in a Milner's winged keyway - if anyone has any pictures of the lock that they think that this may be - please post. Best regards & many thanks, Chris
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Tann Defiance Chertsey.jpg  

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