Methods of manipulating an old Marvin safe

[Danev2]

I have a pre 1896 Marvin safe. Not herring hall marvin.. only Marvin.
It has a very unique cover over dial and T handle and I have found only one picture of something like it from an antique store in Nebraska.
It's locked. The dial spins freely t handle rotates a little. It's tight.
The dial does NOT lock up when T handle is turned left or right.
So it's not a straight tailpiece lock, like a York HE.
Maybe? A York 027?
Very little onfo on original Marvin safes on internet.
Most are later HHM.

it's in so so condition. But I like it. Patina like something that's 125 plus years old
https://ibb.co/1vT40j3
https://ibb.co/YQMDwrs



What method of manipulation should I study up on and try to open this.
Like I said it's dial turns very smooth. Can hardly feel the wheels pick up.

[MartinHewitt]

I don't have any info about a Marvin. With no binding I would first count wheels and feel for the CPs, then I would do standard manipulation (like the 6730) and adapt it to whatever the lock says or doesn't say.

[Danev2]

Truth seems all the info out there is about herring hall Marvin.
They made ALOT of safes..
Very little on original Marvin's.

[Squelchtone]

Here are all of the patents from the coin on your safe dial.

US117478A
Improved Dial Lock assigned to Emory Stockwell (worked for Yale & Towne lock company in Stamford CT)
July 25, 1871
https://patents.google.com/patent/US117478A/

US142529A
Permutation Locks assigned to Emory Stockwell (worked for Yale & Towne lock company in Stamford CT)
Sept 2, 1873
https://patents.google.com/patent/US142529A/

US153588A
Combination Locks assigned to Walter K Marvin
July 28, 1974
https://patents.google.com/patent/US153588A/

US232086A
Dials for Locks
Sept 7, 1880 Emory Stockwell and Warren Taylor for Yale Lock Manufacturing Company
https://patents.google.com/patent/US232086A/

US233922A
Permutation Lock assigned to the Marvin Safe and Scale Company New York NY.
Nov 2, 1880
https://patents.google.com/patent/US233922A/

US233950A
Permutation Lock
Nov 2, 1880 (the other Nov 2 patent, notice the 2 in front of Nov 2) Emory Stockwell (worked for Yale & Towne lock company in Stamford CT)
https://patents.google.com/patent/US233950A/

US261271A
Permutation Lock - Emory Stockwell (worked for Yale & Towne lock company in Stamford CT)
July 18, 1882
https://patents.google.com/patent/US261271A/

All of this certainly lends credence to the speculation that the lock in your Marvin safe was in fact made by Yale (pretty sure you meant to write Yale, not York, right?). As far as which model, you may want to contact a historian or archivist at Yale who might be able to look up records of locks sales to the Marvin Safe company prior to 1892 when Herring Hall Marvin got together.

As a bonus, here is what looks like your model safe for sale on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1199972535/antique-art-nouveau-herring-hall-marvin
Perhaps the seller would indulge you and remove the inside of the door metal cover so you can see which lock their safe has installed.


Hope this helps,
Squelchtone

[Danev2]

Yes I did mean Yale don't know why I had Yorks on the brain thank you for the info very much I will chase after that Etsy sale and see what it has

[Danev2]

Squelch..
I have messaged the seller for this safe to ask about the combo and if be willing to take off the back cover..
We will see what they say.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1199972535 ... all-marvin

[Squelchtone]

Squelch..
I have messaged the seller for this safe to ask about the combo and if be willing to take off the back cover..
We will see what they say.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1199972535 ... all-marvin

Hope they can help you out. Make sure they know you want to see behind the big square metal panel, not just the round chrome thing in the middle of that square panel. Theywill have to remove the wheel pack (the round chrome thing) before they can remove the big square panel to get a look-see behind it.

Have a good weekend,
Squelchtone