Dodgiest repro plaque that I have ever seen

Tom Gordon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1920S-THOMAS-WEARNE-SYDNEY-3KG-SOLID-BRASS-SAFE-PLAQUE-SIGN-/322580582876?hash=item4b1b4d11dc:g:GvoAAOSwXetZXc_z

“No idea of the provenance of this piece, entirely possible its a reproduction.”
You don’t say!

Huw Eastwood

Bit of a shocker what they bid for it…but at least it had Sydney spelt right.
Here’s a screenshot in all its glory for future reference

Warren63

So do you guys think this is a copy of an original? The rosette in the centre was probably an escutcheon on the genuine then. I’m always a bit suspect when there are no pictures of the reverse of the plaque because sometimes it can be the only pointer to its originality. I’ve probably gained most of my knowledge off you guys and trawling through pictures of originals. The more I see of these copies the more it makes me question myself when buying. There’s nothing better than finding one with several coats of old paint on and a crusty/rusty reverse.

Tom Gordon

Warren63 wrote
So do you guys think this is a copy of an original? The rosette in the centre was probably an escutcheon on the genuine then. I’m always a bit suspect when there are no pictures of the reverse of the plaque because sometimes it can be the only pointer to its originality. I’ve probably gained most of my knowledge off you guys and trawling through pictures of originals. The more I see of these copies the more it makes me question myself when buying. There’s nothing better than finding one with several coats of old paint on and a crusty/rusty reverse.

I have no hesitation in saying that it is repro.
the holes for the fixing screws don’t even seem to go all the way through the plaque.
The quality of casting is atrocious.
The escutcheon appears not to move…..

[unknown]

Warren63

I didn’t doubt your opinions for a minute about it being a copy. What I meant was is it a cobbled together Indian one, or do you know of the original (if there is one) that it’s been directly cast off….

Huw Eastwood

Apparently he was involved in safe manufacture warren, originally they were ironmongers that branched out into safes, engineering and foundry work- even locomotive and carriage parts !

Tom Gordon

Huw Eastwood wrote
Apparently he was involved in safe manufacture warren, originally they were ironmongers that branched out into safes, engineering and foundry work- even locomotive and carriage parts !

That was not uncommon.
i have come across clay pipe moulds and paper presses made by safe manufacturers.
Chatwood made train carriage handles, water pumps, sewing machines, machine tools….
specialisation is a modern concept

[unknown]

Huw Eastwood

Sure thing Tom what machine tools did Chatwood make altogether,as I’ve heard of their steam hammers but can’t remember anything else. I’m guessing it might be multi-spindle drills or gang-mills which theyd likely developed and manufactured originally for their own production like boltwork and boltcases etc?

Tom Gordon

Huw Eastwood wrote
Sure thing Tom what machine tools did Chatwood make altogether,as I’ve heard of their steam hammers but can’t remember anything else. I’m guessing it might be multi-spindle drills or gang-mills which theyd likely developed and manufactured originally for their own production like boltwork and boltcases etc?

I don’t know but it is a possibility that Reed Chatwood compressors were originally Chatwood

[unknown]