1. Carlton Hobbs,
LLC, Purchased
Strongbox with
Built-in Pistols

2. Carlton Hobbs, LLC, Purchased
Strongbox with Built-in Pistols
A dealer of antiques based in New York City, Carlton
Hobbs, LLC, acquired an intriguing Russian steel safe
dated circa 1815. Unlike other strongboxes, this piece
not only protects items from theft but deters criminals
with a complex locking mechanism that fires two built-
in pistols. If an unsuspecting thief lifted the
strongbox's lid, two springs would activate the pistols
embedded in the safe's flanks.

3. Carlton Hobbs, LLC, Purchased
Strongbox with Built-in Pistols
In the event someone unlocked the first two locks and
avoided the pistols, he or she would have to deal with
two smaller safes within the larger one. Complicating
things further, the keyholes for these additional safes
are concealed behind the rows of concave steel panels.

4. Carlton Hobbs, LLC, Purchased
Strongbox with Built-in Pistols
Experts believe the box originated from a city south of
Moscow called Tula. Although its owner remains unknown,
it was likely destined to serve an imperial purpose.
The box bears no identifiers such as an imperial
monogram, although one strange clue is that the main
key is shaped as the number 'two'. Numerous stylistic
features and its advanced design strongly suggest that
this strongbox originates from the idiosyncratic steel
production of Tula.