Oliver Pillard 1871 No. 16 Combination Safe Lock

Citydweller

Patented May 9, 1871, patent # 114,706. Door, frame and lock with crappy tin wall box removed. Measures (overall) 13″ × 9-½″ × 4″. Amazing condition, but I can’t find another one or a reliable reference. One “authoritative” reference I found stated that only #19 had a dial that went to 100, but this one goes to 100… so no reliable info.

Any reliable info on this? Value? It’s available for the right offer.

Doug MacQueen

I know next to nothing on the Pillard lock models other than there were quite a few. The Mossman Collection has a double dial No. 17 that also has 100 numbered dials. So much for “authoritative” references. Always take with salt.

Citydweller

After some extensive looking around, all I’ve found besides complete safes with Pillard locks on them, was two partial mechanisms with dials, non-working and mounted on plastic, no knobs, no bolts, no functionality. Both from the Tommy Minick collection, a No. 17 and a No. 10, they sold for $227 and $237 respectively.

Citydweller

Having looked around some more, and giving it some consideration, I’d take $625 including Priority shipping in the U.S. lower 48. Offers always considered, just drop me a line.

David Hovey

Very popular lock in my service area, maybe because Pillard was from the Hartford area and connected to the New Britain Bank Lock Co.

He made lots of different sizes of comb locks. My #17 has a 100 number dial, #18 has a 60 number dial, #16 has a 45 number dial, and #15 has a 50 number dial.

My service notes indicated I’ve seen his locks on Ferral Herring, C Rich Salamander, Beard Brothers, and Miller Safe and Iron Works safes.

Citydweller

I have a Farrel Herring safe, but it doesn’t have a combo lock, just key and knob. But yeah, I saw a few with Pillard combos on them… but I don’t even account for them when looking at a lock that just has a small door and frame attached to it.

That said, a few folks in other realms have said I’m “way out of line” with my price on this one. My question would be - If several broken and incomplete ones mounted on plastic plates command $230+ with a decent number of bidders, why is mine supposedly worth the same price range, when it’s complete, in excellent working condition, and installed in an (assumed to be) original door and frame that’s just the right size to display and play with as it exists?

Citydweller

David Hovey wrote
He made lots of different sizes of comb locks. My #17 has a 100 number dial, #18 has a 60 number dial, #16 has a 45 number dial, and #15 has a 50 number dial.

Okay, so it sounds like my No. 16 having a 100 number dial isn’t some kind of anomaly… maybe he produced them to order?

[unknown]

odinfix

Hi,

I’m not sure if you’re still looking for info on this, but I actually have an old safe which I’m currently researching.

It has a Pillard No19 combination lock, and the dial does indeed have 100 increments. I’ll post some pics if you are interested.

Cheers