Milner safe Dear Sir, I've recently bought in Italy an old Milners Safe. It's badly restored and painted so its cost was very low. I would like to know if possible its Model No./Age and have instruction how to try to disassemble the front door to identify the lock type and were to search the serial number(if necessary i'll remove all the paint but i'll prefer to limit the work). Its weight it's about 40 kg. The plaque on the keyhole has written 'Patent Solid Powder Proof Lock' Other photo at this link: Many many thanks Carlo Alfredo Posts: 41 Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:15 pm. Milner safe Dear Sir, I've recently bought in Italy an old Milners Safe.

A Tommy Turner made lock from a Milner safe. 10539, 3 Lever, Detector Patent.

It's badly restored and painted so its cost was very low. I would like to know if possible its Model No./Age and have instruction how to try to disassemble the front door to identify the lock type and were to search the serial number(if necessary i'll remove all the paint but i'll prefer to limit the work). Its weight it's about 40 kg. The plaque on the keyhole has written 'Patent Solid Powder Proof Lock' Other photo at this link: Many many thanks Carlo Alfredo Posts: 51 Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:14 pm. Powder proof lock Carlo, The cost wasn't low, only because of the bad restoration job, which may have devalued it slightly. The cost is low, because of the style.

During the mid to late 1800's there were easily, over 300 different safe manufacturers in three or four towns in England. Virtually all of the safes manufactured by these 'different' companies were identical in size and style. The only differences being in the name plaque, lock and handles. Other than that they are identical. Because there are so many of these safes still in Europe, the value is not as high as it would be for other antiques. Normally these safes are going for around 150 to 200 British pounds($240 to $320 US dollars). This is much lower than similar us made safes, because of the diversity and differences of the US made safes which can easily go for $800 to $1500 without restoration.

As far as the 'patent powder proof lock', as banks were concerned about burglars stuffing the lock with gun powder and attempting to blow the lock off the door, holes were built into the lock to allow the powder to flow through the lock and away from the locking mechanism. While this was not a unique idea, manufacturers would 'patent' their new ideas to keep others from copying even a simple drain hole in the lock. American manufacturers were able to quickly get away from this problem with the invention of the combination lock instead of using the key lock. This eliminated the key hole and all of the subsequent problems it provided. Milners made safes from around 1830 until their merger in 1940 with Chatwood to form Chatwood-Milner. The company continued until it was acquired by Chubb around 1962.

Your safe would have been made sometime between the mid to late 1860's. There are no instructions on the disassembly of your safe and doing so, may devalue it further. If you decide to take it apart take plenty of photos of the disassembly, to aid in the reassembly.

I would be interested in seeing your photos. I do have a photo of a Milners powder proof lock that I'll try to attach for you. Andy Posts: 49 Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 3:47 am.