Old Mosler

[Daveopie71]

I came across this site hoping to gain information on my old Mosler safe. I found it at a garage sale 1/2 mile from my house. It had my family name on it, and I had to have it. My Dad knows our family genealogy, and said it most likely belonged to 1 of 2 with that first initial back in the late 1800's. My combo works great, I just changed it last month. I still have the lockable drawers, and am in the process of making the keys. I have a little work to do to the inner door due to previous owners prying it open.
I found a thread where someone salvaged one out of a scrap hopper. That safe is nearly identical to mine. He was searching for the age of that as well. His S/N was +/- 11000, mine is upper 5000. My drawer lock mechanism is stamped "Standard" "Pat'd Feb. 1 '76" "Stamford Ct".
I am learning that going back that far with Mosler info, is hard to come by, and a lot is gained by sharing what we know and have.

[MartinHewitt]

Your safe in in a great condition on the inside. That is not often the case. The lock is a Sargent & Greenleaf. Depending on its age it is a No.5, something with C or a 6810 (assuming it has 3 wheels). S&G changed the numbering system two times. Because of the decoration I think one of the first to numbering systems is most likely.

[Daveopie71]

Yes it is a S&G, 3 number, S/N 9461. R-L-R then L to click, and right to stop.

[Squelchtone]

I came across this site hoping to gain information on my old Mosler safe.

Hello,

I'm a member of a safe and safe lock collectors group on Facebook and I see this kind of question there a lot. "I got an old safe, tell me all about it" I will say that it's always a tough question to answer because we would really need to know what info are you after. A lot of info is simply lost to time. Some old catalogs exist and folks here could maybe get you a model number or the listed price.

What other specifics are you after?

Thank you,
Squelchtone

[L4R3L2]

Very nice. And great you were able to restore it to the family name.

Yes it is a S&G, 3 number, S/N 9461. R-L-R then L to click, and right to stop.

The proper dialing sequence is LRL, and R to stop/open. You may find the lock can open on your numbers using that sequence too, but due to variation of the movable flies it would be a good idea to reset your combination if you decide to switch to the proper sequence.

[MartinHewitt]

but due to variation of the movable flies it would be a good idea to reset your combination if you decide to switch to the proper sequence.

My No.5/C.../6810 doesn't have movable flies and the rope decoration was probably only used on older safes. So it might not even have movable flies, which makes the problem of direction switch even worse.

[MartinHewitt]

Not mine, but this one has also fixed flies:
https://keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?p=121921#p121921

[L4R3L2]

Thank you, MH. Yes, my C71s from the same era don't have movable flies either.

So, to set your combination in the proper LRL dialing sequence, you would have to reset the combination using a change key.

[Daveopie71]

I came across this site hoping to gain information on my old Mosler safe.

Hello,

I'm a member of a safe and safe lock collectors group on Facebook and I see this kind of question there a lot. "I got an old safe, tell me all about it" I will say that it's always a tough question to answer because we would really need to know what info are you after. A lot of info is simply lost to time. Some old catalogs exist and folks here could maybe get you a model number or the listed price.

What other specifics are you after?

Thank you,
Squelchtone

The Pat'd '76 on the drawers, were drawers from the factory?
Does the S/N 5755 on the T handle coincide with after '76?
Why do some Mosler safes have Mosler combo dials and mine has a S&G?
The L.M. Cary on the door, is that tied to Cary safe company?

[Daveopie71]

Very nice. And great you were able to restore it to the family name.

Yes it is a S&G, 3 number, S/N 9461. R-L-R then L to click, and right to stop.

The proper dialing sequence is LRL, and R to stop/open. You may find the lock can open on your numbers using that sequence too, but due to variation of the movable flies it would be a good idea to reset your combination if you decide to switch to the proper sequence.

I removed the cover from the Sargent and Greenleaf combination. I can see how this will work either direction by adjusting the combination and moving the flies. This old girl just uses a 1/8 inch square bar to unlock the flies. Thank you

[MartinHewitt]

Why do some Mosler safes have Mosler combo dials and mine has a S&G?

Most locks in Mosler safes were sold under the brand of Mosler. They might have been made in cooperation with Yale or even been rebranded Yale locks or not. Some Moslers have Herring-Hall-Marvin locks, some have S&G locks. The reason? Difficult to say after over 100 years.

The L.M. Cary on the door, is that tied to Cary safe company?

The Cary Safe Company was in Buffalo, N.Y.. There are patents from 1910 and 1915 assigned to Cary Safe by the inventor Sherman L. Cary. Usually the company buying a safe got her name written onto the safe door. Banks, hotels, shops, etc.. If you got it near Buffalo, N.Y., then the L. M. Cary could be related to the S. L. Cary of the Cary Safe Co..

[Daveopie71]

Thanks MH, all good info. This location is S.W. Lower Michigan.

[MartinHewitt]

Safes do not often travel far. Maybe if you do some research in your region you could find the L. M. Cary. The word behind Cary might help, but I have no clue what it means. GEN?AGT.?

[sign216]

Gen Agt might stand for General Agent. It's a term used by insurance companies, for the man who supervises the business in a certain area.

I imagine that kind of supervisor would deal w a lot of cash, in the old days.

Joe

[MartinHewitt]

Of course! It is just a dot and rust and not a letter after the GEN.

Nowadays there is a Josh Cary insurance guy in Michigan.
https://www.facebook.com/JoshCaryInsurance/