Mystery Star Shaped Escutcheon

[chubbbramah]

Indeed - like this one on ebay at the moment :

Curiously, there are a couple of those coat of arms badges on Ebay currently. Do they look pre-1837? not that I am a heraldic expert.

[Gerard Moonen]

Does anyone know it?

[Tom Gordon]

Does anyone know it?

"Currently Protected"? Is that a bad translation??

[Gerard Moonen]

"Currently Protected"? Is that a bad translation??

No, it means "protected by law"

[Tom Gordon]

No, it means "protected by law"

I have no idea whose escutcheon it is I am afraid - it isnt like any I have.
"Protected by law" presumably means that the lock is patented?

[Gerard Moonen]

I have no idea whose escutcheon it is I am afraid - it isnt like any I have.
"Protected by law" presumably means that the lock is patented?

Correct Tom, it was from a German safe I openend some time ago.
And yes, I believe they mean that the lock is protected.

[Huw Eastwood]

Well that is one fancy escutcheon! Are you able to tell us how much you know about it Gerard after having opened the safe and worked on the lock etc?

Didnt see much fancy stuff from continental Europe here in UK but from what little I know a quick process of elimination would really narrow things down;

Makers of ornate safes from continental europe = Loads

German makers only = Much Less

Same again with double-bitted key only = Much Less again

Same again with sharp wedges on the key bits = Much Less again

Same again with Patent/Registered design protection etc = Not Many

Strikes me as odd that if the lock/key system was Patented or protected that they would put the tiny 'protected by law' mark on the escutcheon, but then you have the additional knowledge having opened the safe and having worked on the lock so you know if the lock/keys were anything special or not?

[Sam Kremer]

Curiously, there are a couple of those coat of arms badges on Ebay currently. Do they look pre-1837? not that I am a heraldic expert.

Those arms are post 1837. A change in the Royal arms occurred in 1837 when Victoria ascended the throne. She was unable to ascend to Hanoverian throne, as she was a woman. Thus the central escutcheon (shield) of the house of Hanover was removed from the Royal arms. That central shield on the safe is also a lozenge (diamond) which was often used to depict a woman's arms.

S

[Tom Gordon]

Those arms are post 1837. A change in the Royal arms occurred in 1837 when Victoria ascended the throne. She was unable to ascend to Hanoverian throne, as she was a woman. Thus the central escutcheon (shield) of the house of Hanover was removed from the Royal arms. That central shield on the safe is also a lozenge (diamond) which was often used to depict a woman's arms.

S

Also a Kings crown is different to a queens - the queens one rises from the middle before it drops on both sides

[Sam Kremer]

Not quite. Queen Elizabeth wears the Imperial State Crown which is the crown she usually wears when opening parliament etc. If you look at that one, it is similar to what most people usually call the 'King's Crown'. The St Edwards Crown is the one used in her cypher and was worn by her on her coronation, and is thus on most military crests, badges etc. But, as queen, she has worn both - although she hadn't worn the St Edward's crown in the 60 years since she was crowned...