Hollar Round Door Vaults

Doug MacQueen · 2010-01-15T17:38:36+00:00

Here’s a couple very nice round doors made under Hollar’s patent from the early 1900’s. Hollar was a famous vault designer of Philadelphia, PA. The one with Hollar’s patent automatic timelock winder above the timelock is a Hall’s (Jos. Hall’s sons) of Cincinnati, Ohio. The other is a L.H. Miller of Baltimore, Maryland whose father E.F. Miller was also in the safe business in Providence R.I. Both of these doors are using Yale Automatics, mentioned in John Erroll’s book, American Genius.

Tom Gordon

Were they primarily designed to be released by the blast from gunpowder? -that would “normally” leave the safe-tech safe….

Doug MacQueen

Tom, in my experience the tear gas types were usually installed on less than secure large old fire safes used by jewelers. This type of safe did have the space needed for displays to be easily held. A lot of these did not have relocking devises and were often attacked at the dial in punching attacks sometimes successfully. So the unit is commonly mounted behind the lock itself. With the tear gas installed you may get the door open but you wont be real particular about what you grab other than something to cover your face. Of cpurse any explosives or heavy enough jolts to the safe could also break the glass. I did some reading about WWI warfare gases and found hundreds of chemical mixes were developed offering different results. This would explain why their use commercially as a deterrent started to show up after the war. Doug

Tom Gordon

I have never heard of anything other than chlorine being used in the trenches over this side of the pond, but it would be odd if they werent investigating alternatives.

Doug MacQueen

The Germans started out with chlorine and ended up using mustard gas. Trying new things was the direct result of a reasonably effective defense coming into use. Much the same as the safe business. The Allies main gas was chloropicrin (trichlornitromethane). I think I got that right.

wylk

Getting back to the round doors –

The only Hollar patent I have found so far is 533,298 (1895) for the boltwork on a rectangular door. There should also be at least one more patent, for his time lock. Does anybody know of Hollar’s other patents?

Doug MacQueen

I had 6 but I knew I had seen more so I googled Hollar and came up with about 14 more. The specific ones you asked for are 621,341 for the round door I posted and 650,842 for the winder. Also 545,021 for the early version of the winder. i would list the rest but they are easily found Doug

wylk

OK, I figured out what I did wrong. I trusted Google Patents. I searched just for the inventor name “Hollar” but in fact their OCR-ing of the patent images is so absurdly awful it only showed up one patent. Once I changed my search to match “Hollar” in any field, many more matches (including a few false hits) showed up.

wylk

An interesting YouTube video (really a slide show) of the Cleveland Trust building includes one of the Hollar doors that Doug posted images of at the very beginning of this thread. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo1hHKzVUu4

wylk

For what it’s worth, the first of the two doors shown at the beginning of this thread is in Pittsburgh at the old Union Trust branch at 337 Fourth Avenue, now home to the Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania (http://www.eswp.com). According to http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/seen/cocktail-party-benefits-variety-the-childrens-charity-283386
the building hosts social events such as a charity cocktail party, where the vault can be seen. Whether you can just walk in and see it is unknown.

Doug MacQueen

Wylk, don’t know how you are doing it but you are nailing them correctly. As to going into banks or former banks to look at and/or take pictures of the vault doors, I have a slight advantage in that I did bank service for several years. Obviously working banks are generally the tougher ones but not always. The worst on “record” was when I was in Providence RI researching the Corliss Safe Co. I heard from the local locksmith there was a Corliss vault door at a former bank turned recording studio. Anyone with business there could easily see the vault door standing open in the lobby area. Unbelievably, I couldn’t even make in the front door. That guy was a royal —. Maybe it was just a front for bookie joint. Fortunately, I later found one in Kentucky. And another Corliss cannonball, the earliest one yet, Ser.# 17. Doug

wylk

Doug MacQueen wrote
Wylk, don’t know how you are doing it but you are nailing them correctly.

The mechanisms used for the boltwork have been a fascination of mine for many years but I’m not in the business and I don’t live in a large city. So I’ve been slowly getting better at internet searches (Google Images is new to the landscape for example), plus some luck doing searches (search for one thing and several others pop up), and I’ve been compiling a list of known locations plus suspected locations (after all, it isn’t easy to just pull a 20-ton door out for a remodel). In the process I’ve been getting almost good at recognizing a few of the styles. My Word document (annotated and lots of images) is up to 136 pages so far 🙂-:. This one popped up by “accident” and as I examined the door in the background, which was interesting on its own, I also thought I recognized it.

[unknown]

wylk

I stumbled across a newer image of the Hollar-Miller door (second pair of images in Doug’s original post), at http://imgur.com/r/pics/0vcIsTI. Click on the image for the large version, then save it, and check it out at its full resolution of 2619×1840 (for example Windows Paint rather than Windows Photo Viewer). I’ll also attach it, below.

Something I noticed in the large image is that there seems to be a roller bearing for each bolt (except perhaps the “noon” and “6 o’clock” bolts?) to reduce friction and prevent them from simply scraping against the holes in the boltwork frame. Then I went back to Doug’s photos and they are visible there but this new image shows them more clearly (see second image below which is just cropped from the big image).

wylk

I’ve been trying to research Hollar and ran across something I didn’t know. Supposedly, Hollar founded what would become the York Safe and Lock Company. According to 1914’s “Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography” at http://books.google.com/books?id=K-UsAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA5-PA198-IA1&lpg=RA5-PA198-IA1&dq=%22hollar+company%22+vault+-gadsden&source=bl&ots=qqgvKOFIQ_&sig=bDlBz4QhcVfJ5XxP18so9pv3Ero&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QIeCUfeLG8i4yAHA3oHYCg&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22hollar%20company%22%20vault%20-gadsden&f=false “He organized, in 1881, Hollar’s Safe & Lock Company at York, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of manufacturing vaults, safes and locks, and, after placing this company in a satisfactory condition, he sold his interests to the company afterwards known as the York Safe & Lock Company…”

This was news to me. A history of York at http://www.yorkblog.com/yorkspast/2012/11/20/eliot-ness-cracks-the-york-safe-lock-company/ does not mention this, instead stating “Israel Laucks established the York Safe & Lock Company in York, Pennsylvania in 1882.” Which is not a direct contradiction, Hollar might have sold his company to Laucks in 1882, who promptly changed the name.

Any comments?

wylk

I’ve been researching Hollar and his work and thought I’d share what I have learned so far. I thought I posted this earlier but sometimes my browser lies to me.

William H. Hollar was a vault designer based in Philadelphia. He was innovative, using new features such as an electric timelock winder which allowed increasing the set time remotely without opening the door. This was thought to be useful in an era where riots or fire could disrupt access to a vault, and automatic unlocking would be a bad idea (the pressure bars would still hold the door tightly closed in case of a fire or flood but would be no defense against bad guys). He also seemed to prefer automatic bolt motors over combination locks.

Known examples appear well made with a very sturdy appearance. It also seems that Hollar did not actually manufacture vaults or doors and supervised/subcontracted this work to several other firms (whose names were sometimes mentioned on the plaques affixed to the doors, including Hall’s, Miller, Damon, Mosler, Carnegie Steel, and others).

1873: He was a traveling salesman for the Hall Safe & Lock Company for many years (see biography, below).

1881: “He organized, in 1881, Hollar’s Safe & Lock Company at York, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of manufacturing vaults, safes and locks, and, after placing this company in a satisfactory condition, he sold his interests to the company afterwards known as the York Safe & Lock Company” (see biography, below).

1890: A very early mention of the “Hollar Lock Inspection and Guarantee Co” was in the Annual Report of the Comptroller of the State of New York, (http://books.google.com/books?id=ZiwzAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA191&dq=%22hollar+lock+inspection%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hNiBUY_cKq_8yAGgsIB4&ved=0CE8Q6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=%22hollar%20lock%20inspection%22&f=false).

1891: The “Hollar Lock Inspection Company” was listed in the Boston Almanac and Business Directory at 220 Devonshire, Boston (http://books.google.com/books?id=eYEBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA343&dq=hollar+lock+inspection&hl=en&sa=X&ei=saGBUa69GKf1ygGNgoHoCw&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=hollar%20lock%20inspection&f=false).

1892: “The Hollar Lock Inspection and Guaranty Company” was listed in an 1892 Philadelphia Securities directory with offices at 122 and 124 Times Building, Park Row, New York; and Philadelphia offices in the Drexel Building, room 735. The description is “Engineers and superintendents of vault and safe construction” with capital of $50,000. Officers were William H. Hollar, President; Rollin M. Morgan, Secretary; directors John J. Knox of New York, Benjamin B. Comegys of Philadelphia, William H. Hollar, Rollin M. Morgan, and Maus R. Vedder. Also listed in 1896 (http://books.google.com/books?id=tdIwAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA62&dq=hollar+lock+inspection&hl=en&sa=X&ei=saGBUa69GKf1ygGNgoHoCw&ved=0CFgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=hollar%20lock%20inspection&f=false) though they may have spelled “Guaranty” incorrectly as “Guarantee”.

1898: an article in United States Investor alleges that Hollar was “unpopular among safe manufacturers” (http://books.google.com/books?id=kTxOAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA75&dq=hollar+lock+inspection&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nryBUbWdHYmEygGV1YGYBQ&ved=0CDIQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=hollar%20lock%20inspection&f=false).

1902: an article in Electrical World and Engineer (http://books.google.com/books?id=hbZQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA786&dq=%22hollar+lock+inspection%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GtmBUd_uH4rgyQHh0YHABw&ved=0CGAQ6AEwCTgU#v=onepage&q=%22hollar%20lock%20inspection%22&f=false) mentions the Farmers’ Deposit National Bank in Pittsburgh having a Hollar vault and the method of supplying DC power for the winding mechanism. The building was at 500 Wood Street but it was demolished in 1997 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers_Bank_Building_(Pittsburgh), http://www.emporis.com/building/farmersbankbuilding-pittsburgh-pa-usa).

1904: the company address was 421 Chestnut, Philadelphia (Boyd’s Co-partnership and Residence Business Directory of Philadelphia City, http://books.google.com/books?id=R9MwAQAAMAAJ&q=hollar+lock+inspection&dq=hollar+lock+inspection&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZsCBUenqIIz8yAH484C4Bg&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAzgK).

1905: The name was shortened to The Hollar Company on June 29, 1905 (http://books.google.com/books?id=yH44AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA93&dq=hollar+lock+inspection&hl=en&sa=X&ei=saGBUa69GKf1ygGNgoHoCw&ved=0CDwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=hollar%20lock%20inspection&f=false), listed at 60 Wall Road #1505 (1906, http://books.google.com/books?id=8cQpAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA332&dq=hollar+lock+inspection&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ELuBUbv7MeSMygHq7oDwCw&ved=0CC0Q6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=hollar%20lock%20inspection&f=false).

1908: The Hollar Company designed vaults for the Safe Deposit Company of New York in the Singer Building (http://books.google.com/books?id=NKRPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA112&lpg=PA112&dq=%22hollar+company%22+vault+-gadsden&source=bl&ots=kUbPEW7XZu&sig=cSFnTx1qbbntDcF7hWTZs1fQnJI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QIeCUfeLG8i4yAHA3oHYCg&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22hollar%20company%22%20vault%20-gadsden&f=false) which was demolished in 1968.

Some biographical information on Hollar is in 1914’s “Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography” at http://books.google.com/books?id=K-UsAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA5-PA198-IA1&lpg=RA5-PA198-IA1&dq=%22hollar+company%22+vault+-gadsden&source=bl&ots=qqgvKOFIQ_&sig=bDlBz4QhcVfJ5XxP18so9pv3Ero&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QIeCUfeLG8i4yAHA3oHYCg&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22hollar%20company%22%20vault%20-gadsden&f=false . He was born in Ohio on June 1, 1851. At age 13 his father died and he had to support his mother and three siblings working in machine shops. In 1873 he was a salesman for the Hall Safe & Lock Company. In 1881 he formed Hollar’s Safe & Lock Company which he later sold, and which became the York Safe & Lock Company. He married Laura L. Rankin in 1875, had three children, his wife died in 1883. He married Laura A. Traver in 1887. One of his children was named William H. Hollar, Jr.; that name appears on some of the very last Hollar patents. I don’t have a date of death for him, but his US patent 1,238,073 was filed in 1914 and by the time it was granted in 1917 he was deceased with his wife Laura as the executrix of his estate.

Some information on Hollar is in the book American Genius though it is focused on time locks used by Hollar.

wylk

A good example of Hollar’s work is in the Cleveland Trust building at 900 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. Also known as the Ameritrust Complex which consists of the original bank now known as the Ameritrust Rotunda (1909, see http://www.emporis.com/building/ameritrustrotunda-cleveland-oh-usa) plus an attached 28-floor skyscraper built 1968-1971. Youtube has a slide-show tour, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo1hHKzVUu4. The door is the same as one Doug MacQueen showed at the start of this thread.

The above images are by Bridget Callahan, see http://www.bridgetcallahan.com/2009_04_01_archive.html and scroll down to April 6, 2009 for other images of the rotunda.

The above images are by Kolman Rosenberg Photography. In the first, notice the etching on the castle nut. This seems to be unique to Hollar doors. In the second image, of a rectangular door, notice the plate describing Hollar as the designer and listing some of his patents. Then notice a place on the right for a second plate which is missing, and probably listed the manufacturer. Compare this to the last images at http://www.my-time-machines.net/hollar.htm where the builder’s plate still exists.

The current status of the rotunda seems to be in flux. The county purchased the buildings many years ago and just recently sold them to a developer. For a time there were weekly concerts which might have allowed some access but if construction has started, access is probably impossible until completed. See http://www.wksu.org/news/story/33969 (December 4, 2012), http://www.wksu.org/news/story/34068 (December 12, 2012), and http://www.wksu.org/news/story/35178 (April 9, 2013) for news stories on the project.

wylk

Here is an image of a rectangular door, I believe the plaque says it was designed by the Hollar Company and that it was built by the Mosler Safe Company (of New York, which is wrong, Mosler was based in Hamilton, Ohio, with sales offices in New York and many other places). I do not remember where I found this image.

On the left of the picture an office door can be seen, apparently with “…orpe National Bank”. This is likely the Oglethorpe National Bank in the city of Brunswick, Georgia (http://www.signaturesquares.org/jekyllmore.html) built in 1889 at 211 Newcastle Street (http://www.glynngen.com/citydirectory/O.htm, though it looks like the street has been renumbered) and failed in 1893 when the bank president shot himself. Google Earth imagery suggests the building is still there on the north side of Jekyll Square West, at either 1419 Newcastle (enter that in the search bar and there you are, plus the jeweler across the street has an icon stating 1418 Newcastle) or around 1359 Newcastle if you believe the locator placed on the street view images.

There doesn’t seem to be much about this door that is unusual except the bolts are particularly large in diameter, and the castle nuts have Hollar’s unique etching. I’m also not 100% positive about the location but I didn’t find anything else that seemed remotely likely. This door also looks newer than 1889 but a later bank might have remodeled with a newer door, but still in the Hollar era.

wylk

While discussing Hollar and known examples, I can’t ignore the Trinity Restaurant in New York City. But since this has been discussed elsewhere I’ll just mention it here for completeness and suggest the interested reader search for the word Trinity. There are two main threads:

“HHM? Round Door at Trinity Place”
http://www.antique-locks.com/showthread.php/1622-HHM-Round-Door-at-Trinity-Place

“Trinity Place bar & restaurant, New York”
http://www.antique-locks.com/showthread.php/2176-Trinity-Place-bar-amp-restaurant-New-York

wylk

Another example of a Hollar door is at the former Humboldt Savings Bank at 785 Market Street in San Francisco, built in 1908 (http://www.emporis.com/building/humboldtbankbuilding-sanfrancisco-ca-usa). It is now a Men’s Wearhouse (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thwarted/5837740403/in/photostream) which has a second, rectangular, door. The vault is used as a stock room.

Notice the usual Hollar etched castle nuts. The Flickr photos include several more images. Also note again the roller bearings for the bolts, and that this door has a bussbar-style addition for an alarm circuit.

wylk

In Hazelton, Pennsylvania, the Markle Banking & Trust Company was in the Markle Building (built in 1910) at 8 East Broad Street. It is now the Hayden Tower at the Markle (http://www.thehaydentower.com). The banking hall is now Mea’s Restaurant, Bar, and Conference Center (http://www.measrestaurant.com). Behind the bar is a Hollar door, and a smaller emergency door.

Above is a postcard image from eBay and two images from the Hayden’s web site. Again, notice the trademark castle nuts. Also note that while the main door is an automatic, the emergency door has a pair of combination locks; additionally, the emergency-door locks as well as the boltwork handle are in the door frame, not the door.

wylk

I’ve run out of Hollar vaults that still exist, so here’s a noteworthy example that is gone.

In NYC the Singer Building was constructed in 1896-1898 (http://www.emporis.com/building/singerbuilding-newyorkcity-ny-usa) at 149 Broadway at Liberty Street, NW Corner. In 1906-1908 the Safe Deposit Company of New York was established and installed Hollar-designed vaults that were constructed by Mosler. The Mosler history states this was the first round door that Mosler built (along with a similar emergency door). It must have been interesting to install the vaults after the building was constructed.

The above image is from a book “A History of the Singer Building Construction”, http://books.google.com/books?id=NKRPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA112&lpg=PA112&dq=%22hollar+company%22+vault+-gadsden&source=bl&ots=kUbPEW7XZu&sig=cSFnTx1qbbntDcF7hWTZs1fQnJI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QIeCUfeLG8i4yAHA3oHYCg&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22hollar%20company%22%20vault%20-gadsden&f=false page 112. The building was torn down in 1968, at the time the tallest building ever demolished. The notion of historic landmark status was new at the time and was not applied.

The location is now One Liberty Plaza (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Liberty_Plaza) at 165 Broadway.

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