I'm new here. I'm looking for help identifying the age of this Mosler safe, found in a garage. The safe is open, and I have the combination, along with some original paperwork found inside. Thanks in advance!
Cool safe. I have a similar one that I kept from going to the crusher but unfortunately mine is locked up and I can't get it open. Mine's a four wheel as well.
Too bad it has been painted as the original art work on these things was very nice, imo.
Your paperwork states in the 1880's and that seems right to me.
What are your plans for it?
1st - I noticed this was your very first post - so, Welcome Aboard Parksy5! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forum: Select Your Area.... and selecting location information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country).
2nd - I searched Google and found a very interesting article - not about yours but very company informative and interesting...
Very nice, and I would agree that the enclosed paperwork pretty well gives you the age. I'd be very cautious about cleaning in order to not damage any of the hand painted lettering and decoration. Lettering enamels have no hardeners in them and cleaners like 409 and Fantastik will take 'em off just like paint remover.
I agree. Looking at your paperwork, it is dated 188? That has to be the era it is from. That is a nice old safe, and will make a great display piece in your home (if you have room)
I appreciate the information regarding cleaning. Maybe just some mild soap and water to get some of the buildup off.
The handwritten numbers on the paperwork are odd. The number written in for the year, along with the first number in the original combination, appear as what looks like a check mark with a horizontal line projecting from the top. I'm wondering if that was used in place of a zero.
I would love to clean the safe up and display it in our home, but I'm not quite certain how I'd get it into the house. The weight of the thing is incredible! I don't believe our back deck could handle the weight, and horsing it up 2 stairs to the lower level might prove difficult, too!
Also... I'm curious about the numbers written on the handle - 41685. Would that be a model number? Serial number?
The "Handle Number" on that safe looks like 41685. That means it was made before 1886 and no records remain before 1886. After that there are pretty good records, including original combinations.
From 1946 through 1989 all serial numbers were suffixed with a dash and an additional number(s) which indicated the number of a specific unit manufactured in that lot group (i.e., 12345-52 = the fifty-second unit built under lot number 12345 during 1956).
Prior to 1946, the numbers were referred to as “handle” numbers - usually stamped on the handle of the safe.
Note that serial numbers beginning with 30,000 are used on safes being manufactured at Orangeburg, SC; and no longer include “dash” numbers.
Cool safe, looks just like one of mine. It is easy to open the dial mechanism to change the combination to whatever you like. I got mine from a used safe place and the guy taught me how to do it in five minutes. Regarding getting it into your house, the door comes off easily just by lifting it up when open. The little acorn tops on the hinges unscrew easily. This takes a lot of weight off since the door is the only part with thick steel. The body is basically sheet steel over walls made of steel bars and concrete. The door hinges may or may not have little ball bearings in them so put something like a big sheet of paper under the door when you lift it off so you can find all the little balls. When putting the door back on simply stick all the balls back on the lower race with clean grease. If there are no bearings just clean and grease the hinges. Without the door you should be able to roll it around and if you're worried about floors just put down some 2x10s down to distribute the weight. Apiece of 3/4" plywood would help distribute weight also. I got a bigger one down in a friend's basement with just two guys after removing the door and using 2x10s on the stairs. Got it back out the same way when he moved.
Very neat. Just remember those old safes are no longer fire proof. The moisture that was in the insulation material is long gone. I know someone that lost a staggering amount of money in a fire by relying upon an old safe.