Milner safe , help with date please

windscreenguru

I have rescued an old Milners safe from a farmyard in deepest Wales. It has the gothic arch or church window iron frame on the door, but what I found different with this one is it has two locks, one in the usual position, and another right where the Milners brass name plate would be, so one was never fitted from original. There is no lock serial no on top edge of body, but after stripping 20 coats of paint off, these numbers are stamped on the door itself just to the left of escutcheons.
These serial numbers are “121886 ” and “ 121895 ”. There is no prefix letter.The keyway is also “5 to 6” rather than “10 to 7” clock face wise
Any help in finding a date or any other information would be very helpfull

safeman

The lock numbers are probably 1871,

This date coincides with Milner severing their connection with Hobbs who had made their locks since 1852 but were starting to compete with Milner in safe production.

These locks are the intermediate powder-proof locks by Aubin Nettlefold (integral spring) before Milner took over lock production themselves with their own design as most commonly encountered with the 5 to 7 profile keyway.

This is the first time I have seen a List 2 with factory fitted dual locking. Most unusual.

windscreenguru

safeman wrote
The lock numbers are probably 1871,

This date coincides with Milner severing their connection with Hobbs who had made their locks since 1852 but were starting to compete with Milner in safe production.

These locks are the intermediate powder-proof locks by Aubin Nettlefold (integral spring) before Milner took over lock production themselves with their own design as most commonly encountered with the 5 to 7 profile keyway.

This is the first time I have seen a List 2 with factory fitted dual locking. Most unusual.

Thanks very much for your reply, most helpfull.
This safe was a gamble, and borderline scrap. The handle was snapped off completely, one key inserted and rotated half way and seized solid, with another key attatched but unknown if duplicate or for the other lock, but wouldnt insert anyway. As luck would have it, 1 key for each lock and with some effort got them working.
I thought very unusual also, so worth trying to bring back to use I guess !
Thanks again

[unknown]

Chubby

It is a very interesting specimen. Are you in the trade? You have done a very good job of cleaning it up.

Milner did make a very high quality product

Huw Eastwood

What an interesting old Milner, looks odd to see a second keyhole so high up on the door in the apex of the arch moulding.
An unusual find and great that you’ve rescued it and giving it a new lease of life.

windscreenguru

MaxVaultage wrote
What an interesting old Milner, looks odd to see a second keyhole so high up on the door in the apex of the arch moulding.
An unusual find and great that you’ve rescued it and giving it a new lease of life.

Thanks for your comments. I did think its possibly a prototype, or maybe a bespoke commision for an established Milners customer. Its a small one , only 24″ high, so cant see it being a mass production model.I have enclosed a photo as found condition !!

[unknown]

windscreenguru

Chubby wrote
It is a very interesting specimen. Are you in the trade? You have done a very good job of cleaning it up.

Milner did make a very high quality product

Thanks for your comments. I collect and restore old safes as a sideline / hobby, but am actually a car restorer and sprayer by profession, with a reasonable working knowledge of locks etc
I normally strip down then fully respray to automotive standard, but in this case the serial numbers would be hidden underneath primer and paint , and have decided just to treat the rust and black lead this one, it has a certain industrial attractiveness to it like this which I do like
I will enclose a couple of pictures of some of my restorations, maybe not to everyones taste, but I only purchase basket cases, so no other option really !

[unknown]