Antique Bank Safes: A Nostalgic Look Back
Antique bank safes have become quite the collector's item. Bank safes come in all shapes and sizes. There are large, vault-like antique bank safes that weigh up to a ton as well as smaller sized personal bank safes that could easily be tucked into a corner. Bank safes were not built in the United States until around the 1820s, prior to that most safes were manufactured in European countries.
Cannonball shaped safes were frequently manufactured both for commercial and personal use. These ornate and highly visible safes were displayed in banks to proclaim to customers how safely and securely the bank was able to protect their money. Its odd shape, often a rounded "cannonball" shape set on top of a box, and excessive weight was believed to deter potential theft. Cannonball safes were also popular in smaller versions, specifically for households to store their valuables. These safes were highly decorated and their value came from their ability to secure belongings while also being aesthetically appealing. Antique bank safe collector's today still seek cannonball safes as a testament to the bygone era of smaller banking and other financial establishments.
Rectangular and box-shaped antique bank safes are also very popular. These types of bank safes are often shown in old western movies. They ranged in size from about the size of a small refrigerator to a much larger storage apparatus. Larger, rectangular vault safes were decorated with hand painted scenes and other designs since they were often a main focal point within the banks.
Antique bank safe enthusiasts often seek much smaller and more personal safes to add to their collection as well, including some that are similar to the piggy banks we see today. Old personal safes were often more elaborate, some even had built in mechanical devices that would cause the safe to move in an animated way if money was deposited. For example, a William Tell cast iron mechanical bank featuring a boy with a crossbow pointed at an apple sitting on top of a child's head. Once a penny was placed into the crossbow, you could press down on the boy's foot and the penny would shoot out, knocking the apple off of the child's head and depositing the coin into the safe behind the child. These types of personal safes are increasingly becoming hot collector's items, especially those where the mechanical devices are still in tact.
Antique bank safes and smaller personal safes can often be found on auction sites, but it is common for them to be in bad shape and in need of some major restoration. More disturbingly, however, there have been reports about fakes and sellers not being completely honest about the authenticity of their items. Many auction sites have attempted to crack down on sellers who make untrue claims, but it's difficult to catch all of them. So if you are looking for an antique bank safe through an auction site be sure to do your due diligence and check the ratings and reviews of the seller. That being said, auction sites can just as easily be a great resource for helping you locate the perfect antique bank safe to add to or start your collection, just so long as you remain aware of any red flags.
To get you started, here are some current Ebay listings of antique and vintage safes.
If you'd like to further your understanding of antique bank safes this article goes into some good detail and links to some other fine resources as well.
The Antique Safe Collector is also a great resource for collectors to buy, sell, and trade.