Identification help needed on Antique Safe from Panama

Mat · 2017-03-21T02:31:24+00:00

Hello, I’m new to the forum and I bought an antique safe that came from Panama, Central America. I would like to know more about it like the maker/age of safe/value and anything you might be able to tell me. Also, thinking about restoration or leaving it alone. It is extremely heavy and has mahogany panels and shelves. Please advise.

Chubby

So it was not too difficult!

3 way boltwork. Very nice. At risk of risking the ire of other members I would suggest that you put a separate relocker on the door. It would upgrade the unit neatly and they are very simple to fabricate.

Mat

No wasn’t difficult. I felt like i was OO7 diffusing an explosive device when taking it apart 😃:. What do you mean at risk of ire of other members and why a separate relocker? How would you upgrade the unit. I’m currently in the process of refinishing exterior and interior to make it a furniture piece for whatever. Any idea of Maker/Year/Value?

Chubby

A separate relocker can be as simple as a small plunger or dropping bolt or arm which jams the mechanism in the closed position. You then run a bowden cable or similar to the lock and anchor it there. So the lock is holding the device in the open position. Any action which removes the lock releases that end and allows the device to drop into place to fasten the boltwork closed.

At that level they are extremely simple and very effective. I would incorporate a small spring to hold the device in place thereby frustrating a particular type of attack.

You could have it jamming the boltwork in any one of the 3 directions. Of course only you would know where it is located.

PM me if you want further details.

Mat

Thanks Chubby. Very useful information i will consider.

Chubby

In answer to the question “Why a separate relocker?”, if someone completely removes the lock, they are in! If you put one, or more, relockers, they most definitely are not.

If you use some sort of easily meltable link in it, such as using nylon cord, ot a plastic nut and bolt, you are also secured against attacks by heat tools.

Mat

Doug MacQueen wrote
If the dial is original, it is unlikely to be a HHM. The HE Yale lock patent 672,911 is from 1901 and the Yale OB patent 533,753 in 1895. Early HHM safes did use a lot of different locks, but given that Yale had several other 1880’s patents and HHM started in 1892?, I wouldn’t expect to see that early a dial. So I am curious as well. Pulling the cover is not difficult and once we see what you have, getting it back together shouldn’t be a problem.

i posted more pictures for you to see the inside.

[unknown]

Doug MacQueen

Sure wasn’t expecting that setup. That’s the first time I have seen the Yale OB used in reverse. For the most part the boltwork (as well as the rest of the safe) does look like it was made by an established safe company, but the lock mounting is a mystery. I am not seeing any other lock mounting holes, so it does look like it is the original lock. It is a left hand door and I don’t think the OB came in left hand. It almost looks like the safe was already made when they realized the lock wouldn’t work as it was a right handed lock, so they made it work anyway.

Mat

Huh. Interesting…. Yes, everthing to me seems very original and in great working order. Any idea of age?

David Hovey

Interesting. It’s uncommon to see a left hand door cast iron era safe, and to top it off a Yale OBB lock working in conduction with LH bolt work. Never before.

I’m not sure who mfg. it, and could only guess, so I won’t. I would classify this type of safe as what is called a “Skeleton Safe”.

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