E.C. Morris & Co. safe with MacNeale and Urban safe dial and massive questions.

VtCollects

Before I post pictures of my safe I have several questions for the knowledgeable people here.

Are there any histories that have been written on 19th and early 20th Century European or American safe dealers? Is there a safe collector’s valuation guide or general guide? Is there any book available to the general public on old\antique safes, locks, and related items?

I know that there are collector associations and clubs that have small studies and books available, but I am interested in the huge books with lavish pictures like the ones from the restorers that I’ve seen here and other places on-line. Is there any such material, or has the Internet killed interest in Hard-Copy documentation?

Now, on to my safe. The dimensions are 29 ½″ tall, 20 ⅜″ deep, and 19 ⅛″ wide.

If my research holds up it was marketed by E.C. Morris & Co. of Boston Mass. between 1890 and 1896. It may be a Morris safe, but it certainly has a MacNeale and Urban safe company alphabetic dial. It was located in Greensboro Bend, Vermont and came out of the Old Hardware Store. The name of the owner was E.B. Marcy as you’ll see in the pictures. The acorns that adorned the hinges were broken off by nefarious characters that rented from the former owner and lived in the Old Hardware Store building.

I do not have a combination but people over at SOPL have given me some tips. I want to open it by manipulation and not drill it. I would like to have it completely restored at some point in the future, but I would like to clean and preserve what I have until I can get it restored. Any information that adds to what I have would be appreciated whether you can reply here or to my email. (Send me a PM stating that you are a professional and I will give you my e-mail) I am a locksmith in training and I want to learn safe opening as well.

So now the pictures. It’s not much to look at right now

Dean Nickel

To answer your question on the book. I could be wrong but up to now I have not seen a book on safe collecting of any sort. I have seen a book on lock makers but that touches on the safe lock makers a bit. If you would like to write a book I would love to see one. I think you found a subject that I don’t think anyone has written much on.

As for the internet killing the need for the book I think that is going to be a slow process over the next 10-30 years as we digitize the books that are out there. The down side to not having hard copy is if someone wanted to delete something they could build a worm and destroy all connected copies. I do like having a book but I also like the ability to search a document.

Nice safe.

wylk

VtCollects wrote
…I am interested in the huge books with lavish pictures…

You might enjoy the book “American Genius, Nineteenth-Century Bank Locks and Time Locks” by David Erroll and John Erroll, 2006. Available on Amazon etcetera. There are some disagreements with the book, a search of antique-locks should uncover the details, but it’s a very good reference with many good-quality pictures.

[unknown]

VtCollects

Wylk, I took your advice and bought the book. I got a great deal on a new, “Bargain Price” one from Amazon for only $38.00. It is very interesting, but unfortunately not much about the personal and floor safes. The pictures are fantastic though, and the locks are really works of art as much as technology.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Does anyone know anything about the Safe Collectors group in Colorado, I think they’re supposed to be in Golden?

NatSafeMatt

VtCollects…i know of two professionals…(one of which posts on here a bunch and is a “master” when it comes to opening safes and the history of the locks and such) another is from a town not far from my shop. to jump ahead of things a bit…if the safe were here to be restored, either one of the two I know who can open it (through manipulation or drilling…which could be repaired) could do it at my shop…just thinking outloud and far ahead…perhaps. 😮)