Bank Vault Postcards

[wylk]

First National Bank, Fort Smith, Arkansas. In many postcards the printer seems to have chosen very small people in order to make the door look larger but in this case the man appears to be quite tall, perhaps too much. I'll assume that in many cases the people were added by drawing them over a photo and getting the scale just right wasn't a priority. In this case his left leg looks poorly drawn and the right hand seems big.



Markle Banking and Trust Company, Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Notice the dual electrical cord going from the door into the vault. Usually we see electrical-power cords but this was probably for alarm circuits and is a departure from "periscope" contacts on the outside or the contacts being made part of some of the locking bolts.



The State Trust Company, Plainfield, New Jersey. A Hibbard-Rodman-Ely door (or more likely a Manganese Steel door) but of quite different design than usual. The porthole windows have been expanded (truncated sectors) and a large worm gear is shown. I believe HRE/Manganese was based in Plainfield.