All,While exploring/photographing Sea Breeze last weekend, we came across this magnificent find. Upside down, in the sand with it's front door off (somehow?!) was this very old Marvin Safe. Near the iron casters is embossed "Marvin Safe Co. New York". Doing some research led to this link -
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Antique-Safes-3774/2010/1/Age-value-Marvin-Safe.htm which shows a very similar safe. The link states, "Marvin manufactured safes between 1838-1892"... and further reading of a similar link states this "MARVIN SAFE COMPANY (1838-1892)
Founded in 1838 by Azor S. Marvin. In 1843, Daniel Fitzgerald had secured a patent and had begun the manufacture of the first so called “Salamander Safes”, which were fire resistive. In a short time, as the business grew, he needed much more capital, and so Mr. Azor S. Marvin was induced to engage in the business with him. A few years later Silas C. Herring also secured a right to manufacture safes under this patent.
(See Stearns & Marvin), at some point (1853-1860) Stearns & Marvin appear to have worked together manufacturing safes built under the B.G.Wilder Patents.
Azor S. Marvin was in the Union Army during the Civil war. He served in the Battle of Gettysburg, PA. He resigned his Capt. Commission in Jan. 1865. He died August 5th 1899.
The Marvin Safe Company was part of the 1892 merger with the Herring Safe Company and the Hall’s Safe & Lock Company to form Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Company (HHM), which remained in business until it was acquired by Diebold Inc. in 1959, and closed in 1962-1964.
STEARNS & MARVIN (1853-1860)
New York City Business Directory (1853) 144 & 146 Waters St.,
The only makers of safes combining Wilder’s and Rich & Co’s Patents.
Fairbanks & Company, 189 Broadway near Dey St., was an Agent for Stearns & Marvin
Charles E. Lipps was an expert safe repairer for Stearns & Marvin, and he also worked for the Terwilliger & Co. He started in the safe business around 1850.
(See Roberts & Rich). Roberts & Rich had the patent rights to manufacture the Wilders safes. These patent rights were passed through their successors – Rich & Roff, Roff & Stearns and to Stearns & Marvin. Before the expiration of the original patent, Roff assigned to Stearns. The patent was renewed for seven years. After the renewal the safes were manufactured by Stearns & Marvin. On the 1st of November, 1860, Stearns sold out to Marvin, and delivered possession of the stock of safes on hand. In a court case at the time it was determined that as Marvin did not have rights to the patent, he was only a partner in the manufacture of safes, the firm was only protected by the license issued to Stearns. When the safes manufactured passed from the authority and control of Stearns, the license was at an end, and the rights of the patentee terminated. The Marvin Safe Company continued until its merger in 1892 with Herring & Hall.
Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen (1850-1921) came to New York in 1868. Shortly there after his art work was seen by representatives from the Marvin Safe company. From 1871 to 1880 he worked decorating the doors to safes of the Marvin Safe Company. (see Homage to the Sea).
An interesting side note, a nephew of Azor Marvin, one Sylvester S. Marvin, trained for a short period of time at the Marvin Safe Company. In 1860-1862 he served with the 28th New York Volunteer Company K, during the Civil War. Sergeant Marvin was wounded at the Battle of Cedar Mountain. Marvin arrived in Pittsburgh in 1863 where he established himself in the cracker business, and founded the house of S.S. Marvin Co., one of the largest concerns of its kind in the United States. In 1888 Marvin and his partner C.B. Rumsey organized the National Biscuit Company, better known as NABISCO."
I think this is a fascinating find. It's in a pretty rusty state, but perhaps it should be in a museum.
Does anyone have any ideas as to how this may have gotten there? The fact that it's upside down (can't imagine how much it weighs) and with the door off (blown off with dynamite? broken into in some way, many moons ago?) is just mind-boggling to me. There's no way it was washed in with the tide.
My best guess is that this belonged to one of the early hotels on Sea Breeze in the late 1800's. One hotel had several hundred rooms, I'd assume they would have a similar safe which at the time would have been quite state of the art.
Anyone have any insight?
