THE ACTUAL PU LOCATION IS SANDSTON VIRGINIAThis safe is a Farrel Herring & CoIt is not a combination safe and the label on the front of this safe States on the left side HERRING PT and on the right side MAY 18TH 1852 and at the bottom it reads 629 CHESTNUT ST PHI which is Philadelphia Pennsylvania.This safe has been in the family for many many years and has a key that fits in the knob to unlock it.The inside is in very good condition and the safe weighs approx 800 to 850 lbs.This is a local pickup only.We can help move it from house to truck or trailer,This safe is 31\" tall from floor to top, 27\" without wheels, 21 1/2\" wide without handles and 31\" wide with handles, 22\" deep....The door is 6\" thick, The area inside the safe is 16\" high, 12\" wide and 11\" deep.Please let me know if you have any questions. Below is a little bit of history on this safe.
Silas C. Herring (b 1806) became engaged with and was appointed as the agent to sell Enos Wilders patented \"Salamander Safes\" in 1841, in New York. Three years later he purchased the sole right to manufacture and sell them, paying a royalty of a penny per pound for the privilege. Being an inventor himself, he constantly improved them. The business grew rapidly and the mammoth Herring building was constructed to manufacture safes, employing 600 men constantly.
The Wilder Patent expired in 1852. In 1850 Mr. Herring paid a heavy sum to a Philadelphia chemist to come up with a material superior to any other substance then known as a non-conductor of heat, with superior resistance to fire. Herring patented this process and built a safe using this material which was exhibited at the World\'s Fair in London. This is the \"Patent\" referred to on your plaque - with the date of patent \"ISSUE\" being May 18th, 1852.
Silas Herring and John Farrel were friends for many years, though the Herring Factory was in New York, and the Farrel factory was in Philadelphia. In 1861 they formed a merger, though in general the names were still kept separate until 1869 when the merger was incorporated. Though it is very apparent that they used the \"Farrel, Herring & Company\" plaque during the 1861-1869 time frame.
During this time it appears that safes which were manufactured in Philadelphia had the \"Farrel, Herring & Company\" plaque, while safes which were manufactured in New York had the \"Herring, Farrel & Company\" logo.
At any rate your safe was made during this 1861-69 period, and most likely from the Philadelphia factory.
