PRIMARY
ENGLISH
SAFE MAKERS |
Chatwood bankers safe with a 5 spindle letter lock and a composite lock on the main door, additionaly, the inner coffer also has a composite lock.
C. 1890 |
Chatwood 20 ton Strongroom Door from the 1920s. |
Chart showing the changing lettering styles, from a Chubb publicity booklet. |
Hobbs Progress 2 safe with 3 Progres Protector locks, serial number 12828. |
Transfer found on the inside of a Hobbs safe door, serial number 22273 and dating from around the turn of last century. |
Transfer from the inside of a Hobbs safe door, serial number 31407 which dates it to c.1915. |
Ratner Crane Hinge strongroom door. Illustration from a c1920's manufacturers catalogue. |
|
| Chatwood |
Chatwood's Double Patent Escutcheon
Size: 118mm diameter. Cast brass.
| 
Chatwood's Treble Patent Escutcheon
Size: 118mm diameter. Cast brass.
| 
Chatwood's Quadruple Patent Escutcheon
Size: 118mm diameter. Cast brass.
|
|
| 
Chatwood's Patent Escutcheon
Size: 95mm x 124mm. Cast brass.
|
|
C. Chubb & Son Plate
Size: 71mm x 45mm. Cast brass. c. 1830
|
Chubb's Plate
Size: 106mm x 85mm. Pressed brass.
| 
Chubb Escutcheon
Size: 38mm x 45mm. Cast brass.
| 
Chubb Plate
From a deed box. c. 1920
Size: 130mm x 54mm. Pressed brass.
|
Chubb's Patent Safe Plate
Size: 124mm x 94mm. Pressed brass.
|
| 
Chubb & Son's Lock & Safe Compy. Limd. Plate
Size: 126mm x 94mm. Pressed brass.
|
Chubb's Patent London Plate
Size: 119mm x 50mm. Cast brass.
| 
Chubb Escutcheon
Size: 24mm x 45mm. Pressed brass.
| 
Chubb London Plate
Size: 118mm x 54mm. Cast brass.
|
|
Chubb Book Quality Safe Plate
Size: 127mm x 90mm. Cast brass.
| 
Chubb Lock & Safe Maker Plate
Size: 128mm x 88mm. Cast bronze.
(A similar plate in cast brass has also been noted)
|
Chubb fish Escutcheon
Size: 27mm x 45mm. Cast brass.
| 
Chubb fish Escutcheon
Size: 45mm diameter. Diecast.
|
| Hobbs |
Hobbs Patent Protector Lock Escutcheon.
Size: 45mm x 94mm. Cast brass.
Hobbs produced safe locks from their inception in 1852 but mainly supplied to other safe makers.
This shield type escutcheon is from a Milner safe fitted with a Hobbs Protector lock.
|
Hobb's Hart & Co. Plate.
Size: 254mm x 195mm. Cast iron, decorated.
| 
Hobb's Hart & Co. Plate.
Size: 195mm x 166mm. Cast iron. From safe serial number 15188.
|
Hobb's Hart & Co. Limited Plate.
Size: 184mm x 84mm. Cast brass.
| 
Hobb's Hart & Co. Ltd. Plate.
Size: 134mm x 83mm. Cast bronze.
An identical but larger plate was also produced, size: 205mm x 127mm.
|
Hobbs & Cos. Progress A Quality Escutcheon.
Size: 79mm diameter. Cast bronze.
| 
Hobbs & Cos. Progress D Plate.
Size: 101mm x 110mm. pressed brass.
| 
Hobbs & Cos. Progress E Quality Escutcheon.
Size: 78mm diameter. Cast bronze.
|
A system of grading the quality of safes was adopted by assigning a letter which appeared on the safe plate or escutcheon, i.e. 'Progress A Quality'.
'A' was the lowest grade whereas 'G' was for the highest quality safes and strongrooms.
During the early 1900's the letters were substituted for numerals, i.e. Progress 'A' Quality was changed to the new Progress '1' Quality.
|
Hobbs & Cos. Improved D Quality Escutcheon.
Vertical slide. 78mm diameter. Bronze.
| 
Hobbs & Cos. Progress 2 Plate.
Size: 101mm x 110mm. pressed brass.
|
|
Progress 2 Protectors, Plate
Size: 192mm x 37mm. Cast iron and Brass.
|
Hobbs & Cos. Patent Escutcheon.
Size: 66mm diameter. Cast brass.
| 
Hobbs & COs. Merchants Escutcheon.
Size: 80mm cast brass.
| 
Hobbs & Cos. Protector Lock Escutcheon.
Size: 80mm diameter. Cast brass.
|
Hobbs & Co's. Patent Plate.
Size: 176mm x 86mm. Cast brass.
|
| Milner |
Milners' 212 Patent Plate
Size: 202mm diameter. Cast brass.
|
Milner 212 Patent List 3 Plate
Size: 220mm x 168mm.Cast brass
| 
Milners' Patent Improved Plate
Size: 171mm x 150mm. Cast brass.
|
Milners' Fire Resisting Holdfast Plate
Size: 262mm x 213mm.Cast brass
| 
Milners' Theif Resisting Holdfast Plate
Size: 263mm x 212mm. Cast brass.
|
Milners' 212 Fire Resisting Holdfast Plate
Size: 267mm x 234mm. Cast brass
| 
Milners' 212 Theif Resisting Door No 2, Plate
Size: 270mm x 227mm. Cast brass.
|
Milners' 212 Fire Resisting Plate
Size: 212mm diameter. Pressed brass
| 
Milners' 212 Fire Resisting Plate
Size: 175mm diameter. Pressed brass.
|
Milner Safe Co. Ltd. Plate
Size: 162mm x 162mm. Cast brass.
|
| Ratner |
Ratcliff & Horner Limited Door Plate
Size: 157mm x 117mm. Cast brass.
| 
Ratner Plate
Size: 145mm x 109mm. Cast brass.
|
Ratner Safe Company Ld. Plate
Size: 153mm diameter. Cast brass.
|
Ratner Safes Escutcheon
Size: 42mm diameter. Cast bronze.
| 
Ratner London Plate
Size: 110mm x 63mm. Cast bronze.
| 
Ratner Safes Escutcheon
Size: 14mm diameter. Cast brass.
|
| John Tann |
John Tanns Safeworks Plate
Size: 114mm x 71mm. Engraved brass.
|
J Tann Escutcheon
Size: 35mm x 64mm. Cast brass.
| 
J Tann Escutcheon
Size: 35mm x 64mm. Cast brass.
| 
John Tann Ltd. Plate
Size: 78mm x 31mm. Cast bronze.
|
John Tann's Reliance Plate
Size: 194mm x 228mm. Cast iron.
|
John Tann's Reliance Plate
Size: 126mm x 150mm. Cast iron.
| 
John Tann's Reliance plate
Size: 151 x 167mm x 59mm. Cast iron.
|
John Tann Reliance Plate
Size: 171mm x 80mm. Diecast.
| 
John Tann escutcheon
Size: 36mm x 59mm. Cast brass & plated.
| 
John Tann Reliance Plate
Size: 171mm x 80mm. Cast brass.
|
|
PRIMARY ENGLISH SAFE MAKERS
SAFE PLATES & ESCUTCHEONS
The story of the development of safes told through safe plates, badges and escutcheons.
Most would agree the following primary English safe makers:-
|
