Chubb lock?

[Doug MacQueen]

Is this likely to be a Chubb safe? Sure looks like a Chubb lock but all the Chubb locks I See in Tony Becks book have different lever springs.

[Huw Eastwood]

Highly unlikely that's a chubb safe doug, in fact bordering zero chance imho.
As to the lock, need better pics to see it clearly so remain open minded on the lock itself.

But, lock-wise, the early direct drive 3 way boltwork driven off the key, on a double door safe, isn't familiar chubb by any stretch.

As for the safe itself, externally it's way off looking chubb, but it's not the fact it's on wheels that's the problem.
It's the ornate columns, the projecting body construction, the marble and decoration all of which shout USA or continental to me. Herring Farrel & sherman...?


PS, i opened an 1880s/90s chubb on wheels as a youngster in the 1980s, locked with no keys. It was all original with the wheeled base casting marked chubb's patent, curtained powderproof lock, 128 queen vic st brasses etc.
It remained a total mystery for decades among everyone i asked until eventually joined here and Patent kindly showed catalogues of both chubb and tann's wheeled offerings from the 1880s through to early 1900s.

So this forum taught me always be prepared for the unexpected and always remain open minded on just about anything...!

[Doug MacQueen]

Thanks for the input. The thing that steered me towards English maker is the fact that it is common for the lock and boltwork to be installed in the back cover. From my experience that is unheard with U.S makers. Now that I type this I am reminded that I am currently digging out a lock from a 1840's vintage Burke and Barnes keylock safe that has the keylock and boltwork in a removable cast iron frame. And this was in fact a common method in pre Civil War era safes. Doh. Memory like a sieve. So Gaylor did make a Chubb detector copy and this lock is very much like but not the same as the Gaylor which is in the Mossman Collection. And looking more carefully at the boltwork I notice the bolt ends themselves are added on brass/ bronze yet another common feature of 1830-50's U.S.safes. I would think U.S.copies of Chubbs lock would have ceased after 1851 whereas the Bramah lock copies show up in several 1850's-1860's makers. So the safe is likely 1840's fancy Herring or another NYC maker.