Tann Defiance age??

tonkanick

G day,
I am brand new to this forum and I love it, I cannot believe the amount of combined knowledge on this forum it is great. I am a locksmith in rural Australia and although we don’t do a lot of safes in our day to day work, the exposure I do get i love. We recently had a customer bring in a nice Tann Defiance safe and he wants it painted and serviced and sold on his behalf, fortunately all of the badges are still in good condition and no rust (if anyone is interested in buying the safe send me a PM). The serial number is 8448 and I was hoping to get a more accurate age. From the searches I have done Tann Defiance was manufactured about 1900 to 1907 so a more accurate age and any info you guys have would be great even how much the safe would be worth in Mother England, the hinges a really nice and it has some nice scroll work on the door I will post pics when its done.
Thanks Nick D

Paul Prescott

Tann Definace was made over a very wide timespan - the problem occurs in that there were two Tann makers

Robert Tann (cheaper, low grade - short lived company compared with below)

Edward & then John Tann (better quality - very long lived company)

Picture of the plate / plaques in the first instance will help ..

tonkanick

Sorry about the lack of pics :oops: I have just finished cleaning the plates so here they are :roll: . Will post more as it is done

Paul Prescott

Thats Robert Tann. No dating info exists as far as I am aware.

You will only be able to get a general date based on body style.

william gregson

hi
i have some john tann dates , s/n 8271 to 9495 - build date 03/11/1879 to 20/05/1881 .
i dont know if r tann safes have different s/n and dates ?
Bill Jnr

Paul Prescott

william gregson wrote
hi
i dont know if r tann safes have different s/n and dates ?
Bill Jnr

Different company - so the JT numbers do not suit them …..

tonkanick

Sorry about the lack of pictures, but here are a few that I took with my mobile before we had it sand blasted. I know they are poor quality pictures but it is all i have so far. Will post more as it I am done

Paul Prescott

If all the corners are sharp (ie not bent) then it’s pre 1890 ..

tonkanick

Thanks for the reply’s the info is great, the construction of the safe is Hand riveted, external steel thickness is about 4 mm thick and the corners are sharp and it looks like it could be solid timber has been used as the insulating material. I have also just found another serial number on the edge of the locking bolt, it is 900929.

Thanks Nick D

Paul Prescott

I found a note regarding Robert Tann in some old John Tann literature which stated :

Robert Tann started making safes in 1837 and the company ceased in 1922 ..

Steve Ottway

Hi,
I have an R Tanns 12 corner Defiance safe that was left in the house when I bought it.
The best I can make out for the serial number is 472 (if there are other numbers age has taken its toll).
I would be interested in its history and value and how best to market it (we live in southern France).
Recently I saw one sold in the US for $US9000.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Steve

Tom Gordon

Where in the US did you see it sold for that much?
Regards
Tom

Steve Ottway

Hi Tom,

Here’s the URL : R. Tann’s Safe, England, c.19th century from antiquingwithpamela on Ruby Lane

Regards,

Steve

Tom Gordon

Well I know it says that it is sold, but if it actually sold for anything like that much, it shows only one thing, that the price of anything is what you can get for it. It didnt even have the pan to the inside of the door.
The Milner one shown at a similar price, has a Chatwood escutcheon on it and I would expect neither of them to fetch more than £100 each if put in an auction in Britain or on ebay. Sorry, but that is the reality.

Steve Ottway

I’d do best to sell it in the US!

Does anyone have any history info that could trace its origins (here’s a photo of what’s written on the back) ?

Richard Phillips

I did see an antique safe collector/dealer in US also asking similar
[insert your choice of adjective] prices for antique safes, although clean and very well presented. Tom’s right - can’t see anyone paying that money in UK! Old safes usually cost more to remove than people will pay for ownership.
Looks like this one could have been shipped out as s/h in 1915?

leigh

Hi Guys , looking for some info on robert tann defiance safe ….this one has round sides R.Tann’s defiance safe and lock works london field LONDON.E…. were do I find the serial number? ..have found the number 50 on the end of the top bolt…