What safe do I have?how old ?

Wrbrackett

Hi everyone
awesome site I just moved to a new home in New Hampshire.this safe was left behind.still locks.
any idea what I have?

Scott Klemm

Your key operated safe dates from the mid-19th century (1840s - 1850s). It was manufactured by John E. Wilder as a fireproof safe for small businesses and individuals. (There was another Wilder - George Wilder of New York - who also made fireproof safes.) As for the key tag marked Alcatraz, ignore it. It’s not authentic.

Wrbrackett

Hi scott
thank you for telling me about my safe.i had no idea it was that old.

it will be even a cooler Conversation piece when I put it in my living room.
thank you bill

QUOTE=Scott Klemm;18909]Your key operated safe dates from the mid-19th century (1840s - 1850s). It was manufactured by John E. Wilder as a fireproof safe for small businesses and individuals. (There was another Wilder - George Wilder of New York - who also made fireproof safes.) As for the key tag marked Alcatraz, ignore it. It’s not authentic.[/QUOTE]

Scott Klemm

Here’s an 1850 advertismement for the John Wilder safe.

Wrbrackett

Scott Klemm wrote
Here’s an 1850 advertismement for the John Wilder safe.

Thank you for sending me the ad.
did they make combination safes back then?or just key safes?

[unknown]

Scott Klemm

Early safes were key-operated. The first patent for a combination lock was issued in 1846, and by the 1870s combination locks had mostly replaced keys for safes and bank vaults in the United States.

Richard Phillips

Just a gentle cautionary note to add. Do not rely on old safes such as these for protection. They now offer no protection against either fire or burglary.
Cleaned, they are nice talking points in the home, and make good drink cabinets. Not difficult to arrange a light with a switch on the door. Worth having a spare key made if you leave the lock in service.

Tom Gordon

It is an early safe but probably doesn’t have great financial value.
The nameplate and keyhole cover are quite rare though.

Wrbrackett

Thank thank you for all the help.im planning on putting it in the living room just as a talking point.its even cooler now I know so history on it.now I just need to figure out how to move it from the basement to the first floor.
😄

Tom Gordon wrote
It is an early safe but probably doesn’t have great financial value.
The nameplate and keyhole cover are quite rare though.

[unknown]