Expert: Terry V Andreasen (Andy) - 7/21/2008

Question
I have a safe manufactured in very early 1900s by the Safe-Cabinet Co. of Marietta Ohio.  Any idea of value?   THank you.   Bob Miller

Answer
Bob,

I have to appoligize to you, my research on your safe, originally was not complete.  Unfortunately this is one of those companies that you have to keep digging to get the info.  The following is the basic info about this company.

The Safe Cabinet Company was organized under the laws of Ohio about January 31st, 1906.  Having then succeeded a partnership composed of Willis V. Dick and George B. Shad of Marietta, who traded under the firm name of the Safe Cabinet Company, and who founded the business now owned by the safe Cabinet Company in February, 1905, and then commenced the manufacture and sale of the goods known as “Safe-Cabinets”.  This safe-cabinet was a novelty manufactured from sheet metal in such a way as to leave an air space between two thin sheets of metal in which space was placed fire proof material in such a manner as to become what is known as “fireproof” construction.
During the early years of its manufacture, prior to 1909, the word “Dick” was usd in different ways in connection with the name safe-cabinet, but the words “safe-cabinet or safe cabinet Company” appeared on all of these different products, and from after the year 1909 the name plate simply called it the safe-cabinet putting on also the date of the patent, the name of the company and its place of manufacture.
Later:
The Rand Company was started in 1898 (it later became known as the Rand Corporation) by Henry Rand Sr.  His son Henry Rand Jr. became dissatisfied with his fathers company and left, starting his own company, "Kardex".  In 1925 Sr. & Jr. ironed out their differences and merged the two companies to form the Rand Kardex Company.
The Rand Company had been devoted to a "visible ledger" type of system for business records.  The Kardex Company proposed that the "visible records" be housed in steel cabinets, later referred to as "Kardex cabinets".  In 1927 Remington Rand, Inc., was formed by combining the Remington Typewriter Company and the Rand Kardex Bureau, Inc

With a type of record system for every business requirement, both visible and vertical, the next step in the development of Remington Rand was to add equipment to protect valuable business records from fire. This came about with the merger of the Safe Cabinet Company, located in Marietta, Ohio, on January 1, 1926.
The Safe Cabinet company was a pioneer and leader in the record protection field. Safe Cabinet products were scientifically tested. The first pre-cast oven dried monolithic type safe was built, and the Safe Cabinet Company was the first firm to apply for and receive Underwriter's Laboratories labels (1913 UL tests a container called an insulated cabinet for the Safe Cabinet Company). Safe Kardex was built now for the first time. Visible records could be protected from fire. Then safe files were made which protected records housed in filing cabinets from fire.

This doesn't change the original assessment or estimate as to the safes worth, but it does give you some of the history behind the manufacture.  Sorry I took so long with this, but history comes in bits and pieces.

Thanks again for using the site.

Andy


Hi Bob,

Sorry, The Safe Cabinet Co., was only in business from the early 1920's to the late 50's.  Value on your safe depending on condition is $0-$300 depending on condition.  Unfortunately most of these safes that I see are in poor condition and we consider them throw-aways.
Construction of the safes consisted of thin sheet metal, inner/outer skin with 2-3" of fire resistant material.  The Safe Cabinet Co., was one of only a few safes companies that use Asbestos in some of their models.  This isn't a problem as in most cases the asbestos is encapsulated by the safe walls.
This doesn't mean that they are bad safes.  I have one myself that is in good condition that I've been using for about 15 years.
Generally though they have little to no resale or trade-in value.

Andy
andy@securitysafeusa.com