Shows like “Antique Roadshow” may have piqued your interest in purchasing antique furniture pieces as an investment for the future. Furniture pieces, however, are difficult to store, take up quite a bit of space, and may become easily damaged which could reduce their value. Antique Diebold safes have long been a favored item by some discerning collectors because of their functionality and their value.
In 1859, the Diebold company was started in Ohio and is still found at their home base of operation as well as in their offices throughout the world. Charles Diebold was an industrious locksmith and the company took its name after him, their reputation for having the best safes was assured during the tragic Chicago fire in which amidst the horrible destruction, Diebold safes were unscathed. Today, Diebold mainly produces vaults, automatic teller machine, and security software, but they still manufacture their first product–safes and the first safes they ever manufactured can still be found on the secondary market.
Why are these antique safes so special?
Most people do not think that an antique safe is very exciting or very important. If you have seen one safe, you have seen them all right? This is wrong because an antique Diebold safe is gorgeous examples of high quality hand craftsmanship–they are valuable works of beautiful art.
When you disassemble one of these pieces or art you will find that every bolt and lock has been hand crafted, signed and engraved with delicate vines, leaves and flowers. Hand painting embellishes the outside surfaces of some safes. After you bring your safe home you will have a very hard time figuring out what can be as valuable as the safe that might need to be stored inside it.
This does not mean that every safe will be beautiful, cannonball safes are still very valuable but look like a rounded shape resting upon a square base. Diebold safes that were made between 1850 and 1870 can be sometimes found on the market, they are often described as “third model safes” (they sometimes have double doors) in antique and catalog listings.
I may have one of these safes, what do I do now?
Never trust a seller to know for sure what their safe is, you will need to double check and verify it is indeed a Diebold. Because Diebold safes are so valuable, some people will advertise that the safes they have listed for sale are Diebolds, when in truth they really do not know for sure one way or the other.
You should always confirm that the item is what the seller claims it to be before you hand over any money. Condition is another aspect you will need to aware of–check to see if you can read its brand, if you can find any serial numbers, and if the safe still functions properly.
Take time searching and have the safe appraised by a dealer. The International Society of Appraisers can give you the name of a local professional who can appraise your piece and help you insure it.
