A Brief History of Safes

Safes have always been an important part of security in our workplace and in our homes. But what are safes, and how did they begin to be used?

A "safe" is a secure, lockable container used to protect valuable items, money, or documents from theft or damage, such as from flooding or fire. The safe is usually a reinforced hollow box or cylinder with a lockable, removable or hinged access door, and is often constructed from metal for strength and durability.

The earliest recorded use of a "safe" is from the 13th century BC in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses II. It was made of wood and had movable pins that fit into holes to lock the safe, much like those found in modern safes. After 2 centuries, safes became common, and were made of oak with iron strips. Later safes were made of iron with inner walls made of stone, plaster, wood, cement, brick, asbestos, had alarm bells that rang if someone tried to open them, and locks with codes of numbers and letters that could be opened without using key.

In the 18th century, British engineer William Marr came up with the idea of using double steel walls with thermal insulation between them, thus he designed the first fireproof safe in the modern style. And in 1835, two brothers Charles and Jeremy Chubb (Charles and Jeremiah Chubb) received a patent for a burglar-resistant safe and began the production of safes. The 19th century also saw the invention of tumblers and combination locks, which helped make safes what they are today.

ChubbSafes DuoGuard - you can buy modern burglar-resistant safes on our website by making a reservation and agreeing on the terms of delivery.