Rare Antique Safety Cash Drawer from a Shop in Lyon -5½"x 18" x 18"

A rare and evocative late 19th- to early 20th-century safety cash drawer, crafted in oak with beautifully aged metal fittings. Designed for shop and commercial use, it is of shallow rectangular form with a gently overhanging top, and is fitted with small metal mounting tabs to the base, allowing it to be securely fixed onto a counter.

The drawer opens via an ingenious concealed keyboard mechanism positioned beneath the handle, revealing its original tinned metal coin compartments inside. Several small metal push levers are concealed beneath the handle, forming a simple mechanical locking system: the drawer remains closed unless the correct levers are pressed. In this case, only the far-left lever releases the mechanism and allows the drawer to open. 

The original brass change scoop remains fixed to the top of the drawer, reinforcing the piece’s authentic commercial character. The oak surface has developed a rich patina over time, with darkened areas and visible stains to the top that speak to decades of daily handling and use. The interior retains its original bell system, designed to ring when the drawer closes, though the mechanism is now somewhat temperamental with age.

The piece remains in overall very good condition, and surviving examples with their original fittings and mechanisms intact are becoming increasingly rare.

Both practical and deeply evocative, this unusual piece would bring character to a kitchen, office, boutique, or cabinet of curiosities, as a secure storage box for cash, keys, jewelry, or small treasured objects. With its ingenious locking mechanism and beautifully preserved fittings, it captures the resourcefulness and quiet elegance of early commercial life.