Info on Old Chubb Sovereign Safe

agcsr25

I just purchased a Chubb Sovereign Safe size 5520 with the QZ prefix. I have found one thread here that talks a little about it but can’t find any other info. I was wondering if anyone could shed more light on this safe? I know the dimensions and weight. How many were manufactured? What is the UL equivalent rating? Thoughts on the quality of this safe? Construction details? Appreciate any info about this safe. Thanks for your time and help.

Regards,
Andy

Paul Prescott

Best to post a picture as the Sovereign model name was re-used.

The original ones are probably one of the best safes ever made. The later ones are not in the same league !

agcsr25

It is in transit and I can’t take a picture. I know it is the 1979 model that weighs 5850 lbs. with the stainless steel front and not the newer version with the same name. It looks like this one but 5520 size. Thanks

Paul Prescott

These guys have further info from a US POV

http://www.lackasafe.com/products/used-safes-specials/best-safe-world-|-chubb-sovereign-6428

Also I think there is discussion elsewhere on the site about the special versions that were made with a stainless steel pour ??

agcsr25

Thanks for the info and the link. Appreciate any other information that anyone has.

Ian D. Lewis

Here is the Original 1979 brochure for this Safe.

chubb-sovereign.pdf

4MB

Huw Eastwood

Chubb’s top end models always seemed so much more streamlined and ‘softer’ in appearance than their competitor’s offerings. The radiused edges and tapered contours seemed the opposite of the straight edged ‘slab’ equivalents from SLS, Tann, Rosengrens, Cox etc.
I guess Chubb’s enviable research and development paid high dividends all round in all aspects of what they made.

Its hard to imagine an everyday product more stark by its very nature than a bankers or treasury grade safe. Yet in spite of this, Chubb’s ultimate offering here, varied little aesthetically from the standard Isolator design and models below it.

i was so taken by Lackasafe’s marketing in the link for their [URL=“tel:1979 6428”]1979 6428[/URL] sale that I tried to ring them. That was until I realised the number I was calling was actually the price they were asking for the safe…..I’m guessing the OP didn’t pay $47,000 for his 1979 example. Undeniably Superb safes though, never to be repeated, and I had a smile at their ‘3 ¾ tons of pure greatness’- reminded me of ‘everything proof’ for the SLS Gem….probably true words that’ll never feature in safe marketing ever again…

Safeone

A bit of Sovereign info in this thread. In my opinion it is a great era in safe making the 70’s and early 80’s. Proper ‘mans’ safes :-)

http://www.antique-locks.com/showthread.php/3304-Ultimate-amp-One-off-Freestanding-Safes

Huw Eastwood

Safeone wrote
A bit of Sovereign info in this thread. In my opinion it is a great era in safe making the 70’s and early 80’s. Proper ‘mans’ safes :-)

http://www.antique-locks.com/showthread.php/3304-Ultimate-amp-One-off-Freestanding-Safes

yep they sure don’t make them like that anymore. That thread I started a while back got some good discussion going but never netted anything like the results I’d hoped for.

i thought confirmation on a few of the safes (like the massive Le Super-Fichet) would come pretty easily, and was of course really hoping that some real forgotten behemoths would show up worldwide. Wasn’t to be though.

[unknown]

agcsr25

Does anyone know approximately how many sovereigns were made? Would it be a ul txtl60 equivalent rating? How does the Chubb 4 wheel combination lock that comes with it compare to S&G group 1 locks?

Huw Eastwood

1- unlikely anyone would know outside of Chubb’s records
2- yes, if you read the link that oldlock provided you’d know
3- even better ;-)

Safeone

MaxVaultage wrote
yep they sure don’t make them like that anymore. That thread I started a while back got some good discussion going but never netted anything like the results I’d hoped for.

i thought confirmation on a few of the safes (like the massive Le Super-Fichet) would come pretty easily, and was of course really hoping that some real forgotten behemoths would show up worldwide. Wasn’t to be though.

Is this a Le Super-Fiche ? I will do a bit more digging to find out

[unknown]

Safeone

MaxVaultage wrote
yep they sure don’t make them like that anymore. That thread I started a while back got some good discussion going but never netted anything like the results I’d hoped for.

i thought confirmation on a few of the safes (like the massive Le Super-Fichet)

Click on for bigger picture……interesting looking thing whatever it was / is ~

[unknown]

Huw Eastwood

Yep that’s the one Safeone, give me a minute to wipe the drool…
Fichet made a small but extremely heavy model called the 242 in the 1920s, which weighed about 2500kgs. Le Super-Fichet followed in 1928 I think, but have never found confirmation if it was a one-off super version of the 242, or if it was a production model in its own right.

Safeone

MaxVaultage wrote
Yep that’s the one Safeone, give me a minute to wipe the drool…
Fichet made a small but extremely heavy model called the 242 in the 1920s, which weighed about 2500kgs. Le Super-Fichet followed in 1928 I think, but have never found confirmation if it was a one-off super version of the 242, or if it was a production model in its own right.

Your dates are spot on Max. Below is the 242 from the 20’s. Heavy in the extreme considering its size. Click on picture for bigger image. Bit of info in French as well

Coupe d’un coffre-fort grande puisance Fichet construction 242 bis modèle 126
(poids 2300kg

[unknown]

Chubby

The Chubb 4 wheel combination was a little bit heavier than the equivalent S & G but an excellent lock, really superb.

If I had such a safe, and was living in the colonies, I would leave the Chubb on and not change it out. The chances of any colonial manipulator knowing what to do would be less than with an S & G!

On the image that was posted the Sovereign had a full length grab handle. Was that always on them? I don’t remember it but it is all from a long time ago!

So elegant, so secure, superb craftsmanship. I really envy you that safe.

Doug MacQueen

If you are looking for big and heavy, this bad boy Corliss would be hard to beat at 32,000 lbs. Built in the 1880’s, not many of this size were made.

Chubby

Doug MacQueen wrote
If you are looking for big and heavy, this bad boy Corliss would be hard to beat at 32,000 lbs. Built in the 1880’s, not many of this size were made.

I wonder why only a few were made. Probably because there is no facility for anchoring it down.

[unknown]

agcsr25

MaxVaultage wrote
1- unlikely anyone would know outside of Chubb’s records
2- yes, if you read the link that oldlock provided you’d know
3- even better ;-)

Thanks to all for your answers.
I did read the link but was not sure if that was accurate or marketing hyperbole by Lacka safes trying to make a sale.

[unknown]

Safeone

Doug MacQueen wrote
If you are looking for big and heavy, this bad boy Corliss would be hard to beat at 32,000 lbs. Built in the 1880’s, not many of this size were made.

Good Lord 32,000 lbs that’s over 14,500 kg !!!! So a fourteen and a half tonne safe eh ? Going to have to research this one …….

[unknown]