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#421962 Tue Jun 11 2013 06:21 PM
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Stopped in to what I believe to be an old Texaco station today. They are getting ready to renovate it and I was hoping to find any artifacts before they disappeared. The only thing I found is pictured here. It's got many coats of paint so I couldn't read the lettering on the front. There was a brass tag on top that had some wording basically describing it as a safe. Anyone have any information on this thing?

safe.jpg
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wolf1980 #421988 Tue Jun 11 2013 07:12 PM
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I have seen a few in different styles. Station owners use to leave money/paperwork in them for drivers when they would deliver if the station was closed.


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57tbirdkid #421994 Tue Jun 11 2013 07:24 PM
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Sounds like a plausable explanation. Only thing is it's mounted in the inside of the building?

wolf1980 #422003 Tue Jun 11 2013 07:43 PM
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I have seen a different style of this many years ago in an old station. It was behind the the counter near the cash register, as larger bills came ,they would be deposited in the slot. Only enough cash was kept out to make change for evening, at closing all the cash was put in it unless the owner/manager took it for bank deposit. It just ensured there was never a large amount of cash for theft.

Iowa99 #422004 Tue Jun 11 2013 07:46 PM
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This one is located in a corner of what would have been the office so that makes sense.

wolf1980 #422023 Tue Jun 11 2013 09:02 PM
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I have an ad for that somewhere, and ads for others also.

Jack Sim


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available
Jack Sim #422036 Wed Jun 12 2013 04:27 AM
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The few i have seen were located out behind the station. There is one local. Next time i am there will get a picture. I spoke to the original owners son of the texaco station I am talking about and thats what he said they used it for.


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57tbirdkid #422068 Wed Jun 12 2013 07:27 AM
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I'm curious to see a picture. Maybe it will be a duplicate of the one I found.

wolf1980 #422093 Wed Jun 12 2013 09:26 AM
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Drop safes are used to this day in most business establishments. Money from the tills is deposited into them by the cashier(s). Nowadays they are usually cemented into the floor.


Dave GILL,
Dave's Garage & Memorabilia, Inc.
Dave's Garage #422102 Wed Jun 12 2013 10:21 AM
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That's a Kewanee brand drop safe. Morrision Bros. sold them in the 20's/30's in their equipment catalogs. I'll post some pictures of the catalog.


Collector of Illinois Oil Company, Iowa Oil Company, Round Outboard Motor Oil Quarts, St. Louis Gas Pumps, Double Cola, and anything else awesome.
iowaoil #422105 Wed Jun 12 2013 10:41 AM
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Here are two pictures of the safes in the catalog. As you'll notice the image here doesn't have Kewannee written on it. It's likely that Morrison Bros.painted it outfor thier catalog.

In earlier catalogs, it shows the same model in more detail, and has the Kewannee script on it.

These things were expensive! A single safe was $65, a double safe on a single post was $120!

Kewanne1s.jpg Kwanee2s.jpg

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iowaoil #422166 Wed Jun 12 2013 03:49 PM
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That's it! I was able to read the script on the front and it reads "kewanee safe company, kewanee illinois, patented may 5th 1922, other patents pending. Thanks for the catalog cut and information.

wolf1980 #422222 Wed Jun 12 2013 06:24 PM
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Nice find Wolfie!

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Goober's Station #422257 Wed Jun 12 2013 07:41 PM
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Thx

wolf1980 #719060 Sat Nov 03 2018 05:15 AM
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Just wondering if you still have this. I'm from Kewanee and think its very cool!


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