Your thoughts gentlemen...

NatSafeMatt

Someone has brought this safe to me with thoughts of completely restoring…starting from scratch. The safe had been painted over with a black paint (idiots)…anyhow… we gingerly sanded some of the black paint off to see what was under it…well, you can see the pictures. Now the costomer is considering just to try and remove all the black paint and touch it up and save it. I could go either way. It was sweet just to see this kind of striping/lettering. It is the best, highest detailed original I’ve ever seen. I am able to reproduce the pinstriping/lettering but not the lady and angel child. via hand painting. My question for you all would be…would you completely refinish the safe or try and remove black paint and touch up whats there? Thank you.

bbcci

In this instance, I would personally find the safe to be more collectable with the original artwork cleaned and touched up. The work is beautiful, “sheriff’s office” adds to the history/mystique of it. Any refinished safe could have that on top, but I would never trust that to indicate it’s true history. In its original condition, I would never doubt that part of its history, helping to insure that portion of its value. Same safe, same condition with Dr. SoSo across the top probably wouldn’t get the same price. I would be excited to see pics of your finished product, whichever way you choose. Bill

NatSafeMatt

As much as I’de love to completely restore it…I’de have to agree with you on this Bill. I will, of course, post pictures. It is up to the costomer in the end but I will mention all the thoughts people post to him. Thanks.

Dean Nickel

I will second that. The story behind the item is worth more than the item in a good deal of cases. In this case we know two details that might lead us to the story. One is the maker that it was sold from and the other is that it was sold to a sheriff’s office. These might lead to what office it was sold to by what county it was found in.