Safe; Nuremberg, Germany, c. 1600.

Safe; Nuremberg, Germany, c. 1600.
Wrought iron with a patina.
It still has its original keys.
Measurements: 54 x 63 x 44 cm.
German safe, made of wrought iron and assembled with rivets. The body, composed of thick sheets of wrought iron, features a deliberately heavy and compact construction. The hand-crafted riveted joints not only ensured the stability of the structure but also made it difficult to pry open with external tools. The metal handles on the sides allowed the piece to be moved by several workers, despite its considerable weight.
The front panel houses the element of greatest technical interest: a central lock protected by cut-out iron plates, accompanied by side elements designed to reinforce the security system. The complexity of these locks reflects the evolution of European locksmithing during the Modern Age, a period in which master blacksmiths and locksmiths developed increasingly sophisticated mechanisms to protect money, documents, precious metals, and other particularly valuable goods.
Nuremberg played a prominent role in this tradition. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was one of the major centers of craftsmanship and commerce in the Holy Roman Empire, renowned for the quality of its metalwork, particularly the production of weapons, armor, scientific instruments, locks, and iron objects. The specialization of its artisans and the city’s economic importance fostered the development of a refined culture of security and locksmithing.