Pie safe

[Sarah_S]

I bought an old Victorian house from 1910 several years ago and this pie safe was left in it.  Looking for more info on pie safes and their value.  Thank you so much for any information you can give!!

[waywardangler]

Tales should weigh in on this because I think she searched for the right size pie safe for her kitchen not too long ago. I do not know much about them but yours looks untouched, which is a good thing. I do not understand how that would keep pies safe, however. I would just turn the wood block, take out a pie and enjoy. The wood block would not be a deterrent to me.  It should have a combination lock that only the baker would know. 

[cogar]

OOOOOOHHH, nice one. Are those "tins" actually tin or are they copper? Looking at the photo they look like copper and I've never seen one made with "punched" copper.

The 2nd question I have is, ....... are all the "punched" panels identical?

Meaning, were they "gang punched" using a die?

If there are variations in the locations of the "punched" holes it implies or suggests that they were "hand punched" ..... which means "more primitive", more valuable.

Anyway, that appears to be a "high buck" item if all original. 

[mariok54]

It looks hand punched to me, Cogar, the patterns on either side are not regular, but could be wrong...

[Sarah_S]

You know I wondered if they were copper, because there are some small areas where the metal has a green hew like what copper does.  But I don't know enough about this to tell.  I'll have to take a closer look as the punches, I didn't think to look for variables in the pattern.

Here are more photos of it:  https://picasaweb.google.com/SarahScarbrough/PieSafe?authkey=Gv1sRgCIjN0_qGyLqCnwE&feat=directlink

[Sarah_S]

LOL!! waywardangler I could not agree more! Definitely wouldn't keep pies safe in my house!

Does anyone know what price range these go for?? I'm really wanting to sell it.

[waywardangler]

Tin is magnetic. Put a magnet to the panels...attracts then it is (white) tin...if not, then copper or gray tin. Scratch tin and it will be silver. Scratch copper and it will be copper. I would scratch an inside panel in an inconspicuous edge. 

As to price, much of it has to do with the design on the panels and like cogar said, hand or machine punched. Also is the case construction early or late? These were made for many years and earlier ones would be worth more IMO. Add everything up and I would guess $200 on up. One thing to remember when you price something...you can always come down.

[KC]

Nice looking...if it is copper that is unique!

Can you please post a pic of it with the doors open and a closeup of the hinges/hardware.  Also a pic of the backside. (not of it's bottom Mariok54!  LOL).

[Sarah_S]

Oh! Thanks waywardangler!! I didn't even think about that, I just put it over at a friends place so I'll have to get over there to investigate that.  As far as construction it's pretty simple in design, it does have hinges and nails in the construction.

KC: Hoping to get over and find out of it's copper soon.  Here are some additional pics of it: https://picasaweb.google.com/SarahScarbrough/PieSafe?authkey=Gv1sRgCIjN0_qGyLqCnwE&feat=directlink
Unfortunately I don't have close ups of hinges/hardware yet, but when I go over to test the panels to see if they're copper I'll take more pics and post them.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Ooooooooh!! Your pie safe is to die for! VERY nice. Values can fluxuate a lot, depending on where you live and where it was being sold (retail antique store or private sellers) but these are quite in demand and yours is a VERY, very nice one. I can't believe that got left behind, what were they thinking?!!!

Pie safes were intended not to keep the pie safe from the husband and the kids, but the inevitable flys, bugs and rodents that would raid the kitchen when they smelled a good pie baking! The punched tin (or copper) panels allowed the air to circulate and cool the pie, but kept the critters away.

There is a museum (or reasonable facsimile there of) that is identifying pie safes and categorizing them by the tin panels. I will try to find their Web site. They would be most interested in yours and can probably tell you a whole lot about where it came from, as well as value. Give me a sec...

[Sarah_S]

Great!! Thanks so much, I'm excited to get that info!

[talesofthesevenseas]

I am having no luck finding that Web site. I will have to see if I have it bookmarked at home.

[Sarah_S]

I found this one, is this the one?? http://www.thevirginiasafeproject.com/

[waywardangler]

Tales said...

Pie safes were intended not to keep the pie safe from the husband and the kids, but the inevitable flys, bugs and rodents that would raid the kitchen when they smelled a good pie baking!

I really knew that Tales, I really did. 

[talesofthesevenseas]

LOL Wayward!

I have looked high and low and cannot find that pie safe site.