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Antique Safes/Whitfields safe

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Expert: - 12/7/2009


Question
Hi. I have recently been employed as an estate manager on a private estate. I have inherited a problem with a old whitfields safe. It has no key! Any ideas how to solve this problem? The safe is free standing so is there any serial no. present underneath or behind to give a reference to what type of key was used? My employer is very keen not to damage the safe in any way.
Many thanks.

Answer
Hello Phil

This would be an everyday job for a professional safe engineer who would drill and pick the safe open, replace the lock, cut new keys and make it good.  The only damage would be a single hole adjacent to the lock through which a scope would be introduced.  This would be filled and a dab of paint would finish it off.

However, having said all that, Whitfield safes are ancient, very low grade and almost certainly worth much less than the cost of making it servicable.

If you tell me what part of the country the estate is located I will recommend a safe engineer you can contact for an estimate.

Regards,

Mike Palmer FSyI
Insurance Liaison Coordinator

Antique Safes

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Mike Palmer

Expertise

I earn my living identifying safes and suggesting cash limits for risk advisors and insurance surveyors in the UK. I'm not able to comment on safes made in the USA but will be happy to take questions on all major British and European manufacturers.

Experience

I have been in the UK safe industry for 40 years and have one of the largest archive databases of old safe literature and serial numbers in the country. I started with Chubb in 1960 and became Assistant Manager of their Bank Security Division before moving on to become the Insurance Liaison Manager with the John Tann Group. I became Sales & Marketing Director for Guardian Safes Limited before semi-retiring. I am a Fellow of the Security Institute and Chairman of Eurosafe UK, a trade body representing the interests of UK safe makers and distributors. I now work as a part time consultant.

Organizations
I am an invited advisor to the Safe Committee of the Association of Insurance Surveyors and a Fellow of the Security Institute.

Publications
I have had literally scores of articles published in various security trade publications. So far this year I have had 24 features published in various journals including Keyways, Professional Security, Pawnbroker and Safe India.

Education/Credentials
I have no relevant educational credentials.

Awards and Honors
In 1997 I was awarded the annual shield by the Association of Insurance Surveyors for "..outstanding services to crime prevention"

Past/Present Clients
I have represented or been an agent for the John Tann Group (Stratford, Ratner, Dreadnought and Tann safes); Churchill Safes, Chubb Safe Co Ltd, SLS Safes, SMP Safes, Dudley Safes and several others

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