Phillips & Son safe

Allan Berry

Hello!
I moved last week to what used to be the office in the front of an old hotel, now converted to commercial use. There is an old safe built into the thick outer wall of my office. It was white, until I started to strip it yesterday. I carefully removed the manufacturer’s plate, loosening the thick paint with paint stripper, then gently cleaned off about six layers of paint - white, cream, green and black. The original black paint around the brass letters is almost all still left. This got me interested, and I found your excellent site. Here are some pictures. I thought grey would be a good colour, but now I am not so sure. It would be nice to get the safe looking something like it did when new. Dark green, I think. I have all the keys. Inside, it’s original yellow, a bit battered, but I will not tinker with that. There is the original decal on the back of the door. I reckon the building dates from about 1900, but my landlady knows more because she’s done some research. Any comment or guidance would be appreciated.
Regards,
Allan. Stanford, WCP, RSA.

Russell Stoner

Your safe looks like it was made around 1885-1910. Have you checked when the hotel building was up & running.

This safe was generically a mid range quality model, normally used as a freestander. Colour plays its part here, & Dark green probably was its original. Be careful in stripping as its lead loaded. You may want to head to a paint shop to replicate. I’m sure it would look a nice piece when sorted.

If you have its original key with serial no, or can let me have the serial number off of the body, we may be able to get an actual year of make. Many of us safe guys have records etc etc. Its safe plate also indicates a better graded unit, as generically pressed brass was to be found on lower graded models.

Hope to see more images as you renovate.

Regards
Russell (Withy Grove-Leeds)