no text

Did a quick Google search ... do an "advanced search" for the exact phrase "Diamond Manufacturing Company" .  An eBay item comes up, too.  1891 golf club !!!  

Added;    Sorry, I couldn't re-do that search the way I described.  
eBay search item  number: 8815936413

Also they may still be in business in Michigan City, IN  ...    www.diamondman.com    Good luck

Quoted: Did a quick Google search ... do an "advanced search" for the exact phrase "Diamond Manufacturing Company" .  An eBay item comes up, too.  1891 golf club !!!

it looks like something from the 30's or maybe older? I might buy it since it's cheap, it could be used to hold loose ammo.

Quoted: ...the tag said "old brass safe" liner?

That is indeed an old brass safe liner.

what do you think it was originally designed for? could it be for tickets or cash?

Anything you want to put in it - it's a safe.

Haven't you ever seen and old floor safe?  The round "door" is set down in a concrete floor and looks like a weird manhole or something.  Usually the whole door lifts off.



The "liner" is basically a bucket to hold your stuff so you don't have to dive in down to your armpit every time you want to retrieve something from the safe.  You just lift it out by the handle.  I've seen these in a lot of retail buildings that were built a while ago like gas stations and liquor stores.  It's possible that it came from a railroad office, but they were pretty common in other businesses.

-

btt

There's a McDonalds here in PHX that has a floor safe,but I'm not sure if the liner is brass,so I would hesitate to try to date it.They may even still be making em'?

I used to use one of these when I worked at a carwash/gas station. Had two compartments. Combination got you into the top then had a slot to put paper money into the bottom that needed a key to access. If I was to build a house today, I would definitely put one in.

Quoted: I used to use one of these when I worked at a carwash/gas station. Had two compartments. Combination got you into the top then had a slot to put paper money into the bottom that needed a key to access. If I was to build a house today, I would definitely put one in.

this one just has one big hollow compartment inside

I found out what this thing was originally used for:

it's a fare box

the brass plug with the chain locks the trapdoor in the open position so money can drop down inside

by the size of it, I would geuss it may have been used by the public train for the fare or possibly a bus? or maybe even on a ship or the subway? ferry boat , etc.

looks too big and heavy for a soda machine or parking meter

I think it was used on a train back in the days when train travel was popular