Found an old safe in a house, shop or office and want to know who made it and roughly when? Send us a few photos and the wording on its plate, and we will tell you what we can.
Photo 1
The maker’s plate
The brass or painted plate or badge on the door, close enough to read every word, including any address.
Photo 2
The whole safe
The front of the safe with the door closed, so we can see its shape, banding, hinges and paintwork.
Photo 3
Lock and serial number
The keyhole, dial or lock plate, and the serial number, which is usually stamped above the door, near a hinge or on the lock.
Send us your safe
How it works
- You send the photos and what you know about the safe.
- We check the plate wording, addresses, lock and serial number against makers’ histories, catalogues and archive records.
- We reply by email with the likely maker, an approximate date and what to do next, or what further photos would help.
Please note
- This is a free, best-efforts service run by an enthusiast. We reply to every request, but busy weeks can take longer.
- We identify and date safes; we do not give formal valuations. Anything we say about value is an informal opinion, not a professional appraisal.
- We cannot help open a safe. If you have no key or combination, contact a qualified safe engineer or locksmith.
- Old safes can contain asbestos in their fire-resisting filling. Do not drill, cut or break into one yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything?
No. Identification is free. We are preparing a more detailed written report as an optional paid service; tick the box in the form if you would be interested and we will let you know when it is ready.
What happens to my photos?
They are emailed to us and kept only to answer your request. We publish photos and details as examples only if you tick the permission box, and never with your name or email address. You can ask us to delete your request at any time.
Can you tell me what my safe is worth?
We can explain what makes a safe more or less interesting to collectors, but we do not give formal valuations. For insurance or sale, ask an auction house or a specialist dealer.
Can I try to date it myself first?
Yes. Our guide on how to date an old safe walks through the clues in order of reliability, and each of our maker histories has a section on identifying and dating that maker’s safes, for example Milner, Chubb or John Tann.