Objects of Substance - The Wilkinson Safe

The Great Exhibition Display, c 1890

Tann’s supplied safes to the Bank of England, the Royal Mint, and other financial organisations all over the world. The company had quite a reputation, even in Brisbane Town. Luckily for this researcher, there was only one stockist in Queensland, at least in 1912. A M Hertzberg & Co had the monopoly on supplying Tann’s products to Brisbane shoppers in Charlotte Street. In the below advertisement from that year, the Brisbane Courier stated: ‘On their Majesties’ recent visit to India, the Royal yacht “Medina” was equipped with John Tann’s Anchor Reliance Safe to carry the Crown Jewels’.