Warren63 wroteHi all. I Have once again some safe plaques to show and need help with one. To be honest I’m not sure if it is actually a safe plaque but I’ve no reason to doubt the seller other than my scepticism. It reads Chubbs new patent, 57 St Paul’s Ch Yd London. Chubb & Son makers to HRH PRINCE ALBERT And bears the number 124804. Its pretty thick and seems to have had a couple of other screw holes repaired at some time (pretty well done I suppose). The other Chubb plaque added for size comparison. The Samuel Whitfield plaques are pretty nice and the one with the royal warrant I have never seen before. Thanks for any help anyone can give regarding the square Chubb plaque as I’ve not had much luck with finding any info about it! Cheers.
Sorry I missed your posting Warren63 but I may have a little late information.
This basic hand type stamped plate was in use at the time just before Chubb started making their own safes. The date of the number 124804 is approximately 1836 which is one year before they opened their first safe factory in Cowcross Street, Smithfield, London.
Up until then Edward Tann in Hackney had been making the safes for Chubb which were fitted with the lock illustrated below.
This was superceded by the New Patent of 1833.
This actual lock was fitted to a safe in the Tann Museum and carried a plate similar to yours numbered 114303 but bore no other identifying marks except for typical Chubb carriages and centres.
This plate was affixed to the pack pan directly behind the lock. It could be that at one time the plates were attached to the locks which would account for the earlier fixing holes.
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