The Anthony Martin Safe Collection - Cannonball Safes and More

This safe features a 4 wheel Yale Y-6. Another opening victory and a great addition to the collection.

This is the Y-6 lock that was keeping that little Cary locked. Turns right at drop in.

This is unusual in that the locking mechanism is in the stationary section of the jam instead of the door.

Note the little compressor system on the door. This came from the interior of a vault.

Safe opens automatically when time lock runs down.

Notice spring loaded bolt motor beneath movements. The bolt motor provides the force to withdraw and throw the bolts.

We moved this Ely-Norris Cannonball with the

safemans best friend, a tilt bed wrecker. In my

opinion the most efficient means to move large safes. This locked cannonball is being moved to my shop to be opened and added to the collection.

Here’s that monster Ely open. After front plate was removed I inserted dry ice into the door cavity and an 8 foot breaker bar did the rest.

Here’s another Ely Cannonball. I purchased this one open. These are beautiful safes.

This is a good example of a gravity drop locking arrangement.

Here’s why finesse is the way to open safes. The black box on the back of the safe door is tear gas. When I opened and swung the door on this safe it was two inches from my face. Forcible entry can have consequences!

Brief Report: Exposure to Tear Gas from a Theft-Deterrent Device on a Safe --- Wisconsin, December 2003

On December 4, 2003, a hazardous materials (HazMat) release occurred at a jewelry store in Beloit, Wisconsin, when the store owner tightened a screw on the door of an old safe outfitted with a chemical theft-deterrent device. The device included a metal housing containing a glass vial of liquid, which cracked as the screw tightened, releasing approximately 4 ounces of tear gas. The store owner sustained eye and skin irritation and was treated at a hospital and released. Twelve persons in the building and persons in adjacent businesses were evacuated for 3 hours while a certified Level A HazMat team*, city firefighters, and emergency medical technicians responded to the release.

When I purchased this safe (locked) I knew it had a Macneale & Urban lock due to the alphabet dial. These locks, however, were used by several makers.

Lacquer thinner and very fine steel wool removed the outer layer of paint that an unknown cretin had used to cover the original art work. Looks like it is a Macneale & Urban.

I’ve been told these are usually very difficult to open. I was lucky and this lock was manipulated in about two hours. Notice the drive wheel is in back and hooked to the wheel behind it.

Here I am after wrestling with a Mosler Double Door Fire Safe.

This was a very difficult safe to manipulate open. It has a four wheel friction fence lock that indicates when it feels like it. Persistence finally slayed the beast.

This is the lock that was keeping that tough Mosler locked. Note wheelpack resting on lock.

This safe weighs 2050 pounds. The door is threaded and screws into the safe body. The Ely Cannonball rotates in as well but it has lugs that rotate in to secure it.

The safe is now open. Observe the time lock on the back of the door. Any one of the three time lock movements will unlock the door.

Notice double straight tailpiece.

Notice the exquisite etching and detail

Classic Victor Lock. Stationary flys and a great candidate for manipulation.

Notice the eared dial and no external bolt handle. On this safe the dial retracts the bolts.

This safe has a removable dial that the owner can remove for added security. Notice straight tailpiece arrangement.

The dial is offset and drives the wheels from above by a gear.

My personal Ely Norris fully restored.

A good example of a double dial Herring Hall Marvin.

The infamous Yale 101 1/2 rescued from a jammed cannonball.

The handle free spins unless in an unlocked state.

The Rolls Royce of safe locks.