You are here:

Antique Safes/safe plaque

Advertisement

Expert: - 12/2/2009


Question
I have a safe plaque Milners 212 Patent theft resisting registered 1857 is it of any value to a collector.

Answer
Hello Paul

Thanks for your question.  There are people that collect safe plates of this kind and you can usually find them on eBay.  However, the Milner 212 is without doubt the most common safe pate of all and therefore seldom fetches much more than £10 although there is a much heavier version that frequently fetches more.

My suggestion is that you polish it up and if you know someone who is doing a car boot sale, ask them to put it in a prominent place on their stand.

Incidentally, the number 212 refers to the boiling point of water (212 degrees Fahrenheit).  Old safes were primarily concerned with protecting ledgers from being destroyed by fire so Milner invented a loose fire resisting compound of sand, sawdust and alum crystals.  When alum is heated it converts much of its bulk to water vapour so you had a porridge basin effect.  The internal temperature of the safe could not exceed 212f until all the moisture had been driven off so the books would survive.

Regards,

Mike Palmer FSyI
Insurance Liaison Coordinator

Antique Safes

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

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

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.