Found old safe in my basement

[DISNEYLOVER70]

We have been living in our home for about 4 years now. We were moving some shelving and found an old safe in the basement. It is a very large floor safe. From what I can make out of the name on front, it is a J. Baum safe. The house was built in 1924. I have no idea when the safe was put in the house. The safe is locked and the combination wheel spins freely like it is broke and there is a small hole drilled directly above it. Someone tried to remove the door hinges at one point you can tell because the top one came off easily. But the door is still locked up tight. My husband tried to get a crow bar and wedge it out of the hole in the wall it is in so we could get a better look at it, but he can't budge it.

Does anyone have an idea what these safes were made out of back then? Steel, iron, other? Do you think who ever tried to get in got in? Because it seems like if they did take the door off, how would they get it to lock back up? I am just so curious right now what is in it! I am sure there probably isn't any cash, but just old papers would be so neat to go through.

I was curious what it could be made of as it might be worth having someone come and scrap it. It is VERY heavy. It is probably 3 ft tall at least and 2 1/2 to 3 ft wide. I am including some pics.

Isn't this exciting! My daughter says, "with our luck, we will open it and find someones ashes in it!" Ewe.


Tried looking up J. Baum safes to find out how the mechanisms worked, like where the bar in the door goes when it is locked but I can't seem to find anything. Maybe there is a locksmith dis'er out there? Any tips would be appreciated!! I will post how we make out with our find!

My husband says to me " I already know what you are hoping. That it is worth enough scrap for a deposit on a disney trip????" lol

 

[Mommy2three]

how exciting! I would love to find something like that in our house. Our house is 107 years old. But we havent found anything like that or anything similar. Oh well. Keep us updated! Would love to find out what is in the safe! You never know, there might be money. There was a man here in WI that was tearing down an old barn and out fell a tin box, and in the tin box was a bunch of money, all silver certificates, the money total was 1,700, and he went to the bank and turned it in for cash value! He could have gotten a heck of a lot more money out of that if he sold it to collectors!

 

[Loverly]

That is so cool! I'd refinish it and have it as a table in your house, maybe? Or a TV stand?

 

[mom2rb]

How can someone forget about a safe that large? I think it is cool. I would try to have it opened and then repaired. It kind of looks like my dad's gun safe. Maybe that's what you will find.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

try calling some local locksmiths and see if they have any ideas. Might cost you a little but there may be a way they can get into it even if the lock appears broken.

 

[JessicaR]

That is way cool! Before you consider scraping it I would look into its worth. Maybe consider a locksmith to get into it without further damage. Keep us posted thats exciting.

Here is a link that has info on the company and help with jammed locks.
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Locksmithing-3110/2008/7/Warth-Safe.htm

 

[legalsea]

See if Geraldo Rivera (sic?) wants to open it on prime-time television!

 

[Jennifer S]

now I want to know what's in it. I hope you get it open.

 

[Independent]

There have been a few old safes like yours on the show If These Walls Could Talk (HGTV). They always bring in a locksmith to open it.

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

I don't think the floors upstairs would handle the weight of that thing. I could be wrong, but it probably weighs at least a ton.

It is HEAVY! I will definately post back what we find. I think my brother is coming over this Sunday to try to cut the door off so we can find out what is in it...

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

now I want to know what's in it. I hope you get it open.

I know, it is killing me wondering!! Also, is that a golden doodle in your sig? We just got our baby Baxter in August. He was born on May 16th.

I may call a locksmith today and see what they say. Good idea. I assumed because it was broke that they couldn't help me, but they might be able to. Good idea.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

See if Geraldo Rivera (sic?) wants to open it on prime-time television!

lol

 

[Jennifer S]

I know, it is killing me wondering!! Also, is that a golden doodle in your sig? We just got our baby Baxter in August. He was born on May 16th.

I may call a locksmith today and see what they say. Good idea. I assumed because it was broke that they couldn't help me, but they might be able to. Good idea.

Yep she sure is. Her name is Riley and she's 5. When we first got her no one knew what she was. Doodles are a lot more common these days. They are great dogs. Have fun with him.

Def. keep us posted on the safe. I really want to know what's in it.

 

[antmaril]

See if Geraldo Rivera (sic?) wants to open it on prime-time television!

By the way - I think it's very exciting.

 

[Kirby]

That is so cool! Please let us know what's inside!

 

[olena]

See if Geraldo Rivera (sic?) wants to open it on prime-time television!

Beat me to it! Geraldo will have to let it wait until after all the hurricanes are gone.

 

[nataliela]

This is very exciting!



In NOLA after Katrina, people were finding money in walls after they tore them out. The people who lived in the houses before would hide the money in the walls and either forget or pass away with no one knowing where the money was!


So who wants to start tearing out some walls?

 

[chyam]

Before you go doing more damage to it but trying to force it open, you should do some searching about the value of it as an antique, it maybe worth alot more than just scrap, then if you find it is worth nothing try opening it yourself, but quite honestly I would call some locksmiths and have them do it.

 

[Ariel Wanna-be]

Before you go doing more damage to it but trying to force it open, you should do some searching about the value of it as an antique, it maybe worth alot more than just scrap, then if you find it is worth nothing try opening it yourself, but quite honestly I would call some locksmiths and have them do it.

Good advice - I wouldn't want to damage it.

It does look a lot like a gun safe, but then again, it looks a lot like those safes that the coyote used to order from the ACME company...

 

[Laura]

Definitely take care if you open it; it looks like something an antique lover would be into.