PARIS LIVERY & TRANSFER CO. 2-Door Safe from NORVELL-SHAPLEIGH, by SCHWAB...

Description

PARIS LIVERY & TRANSFER CO. 2-Door Safe from NORVELL-SHAPLEIGH HARDWARE CO., by SCHWAB SAFE CO.
Recently brought into our possession, this safe was manufactured in the 1910s. It has been cleaned up, the combination tested and confirmed, and keys made for the inner door (pic 4) and interior drawer (pic 7). Among the pigeon holes and cubicles, there is a smaller interior compartment with a lock that has apparently been damaged through use: we could make no key that would fully extend or retract the bolt. Closer examination shows the nose of the lock has spread, creating a gap that affects the mechanism. We are providing a non-functioning key to use to pull open this door (also pic 7).
Research shows that the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis,  Missouri, was founded in1843. It changed names several times as partners came and went, becoming Norvell-Shapleigh in 1901, then back to just Shapleigh in 1918. According to their catalog, the manufacturer of the safe would have been the Schwab Safe Company, of Lafayette, Indiana, which was founded in 1872. Schwab was purchased in 2008 by Sentry Safe Co.
The Paris Livery and Transfer Co., located in northeastern Texas, was destroyed by fire on March 1, 1912, but rebuilt and remained in business into the 1920s or beyond.
As there is no sign of fire damage, it is believed that this safe was ordered after that date, possibly a replacement, bracketing the date of manufacture to sometime between then (1912) and 1918, when the name changed. It is said to have subsequently been sold to the postmaster in a rural town north of Dallas, although the prior owner could not provide a year.
As can be seen in the photos (close-up, pic 2), someone at some time (spray) painted over part of the Paris Livery name. The full name can be made out through the paint.
While we have cleaned up the safe, we have chosen not to initiate any repairs or updates, preferring not to risk the original paint and to leave it without modern replacement parts: with the exception of the keys themselves, everything here is believed to be original to the early to mid 20th century.
As can be seen, some of the paint and painted features have been sun bleached and faded with time. Compare before (pic 12) and after (the rest) photos to see the difference a good cleaning made! Additional photos can be provided upon request.
This safe would make a great addition to a collection, whether in private hands or a museum. Don't let the history pass you by!
Interested parties are welcome to examine the safe in person: look up and come to Texas Safe and Lock.
We do not have a weight on this safe, but believe it to be in the area of 1500 to 1800 pounds. The buyer will need to arrange for its pick up and transport: choose your own carrier. If the buyer is local to DFW, we can offer a quote to deliver the safe ourselves.
This is an antique item on the order of 100+ years old.  It is sold as is, without warranty or any guarantees, with the understanding that it may not comply with any modern codes or regulations: any and all risk resulting from use or misuse will belong to the buyer.