real or repro?

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

Hi,

What you have is a pair of RCS (Ruben Craddock and Son) flexible darby handcuffs used in Her Majesty's Prison Service.

The above decribes some of the marking you mention and the large arrow stamping denotes that the cuff was used in war time service.

This mark is known as the British "Broad Arrow".

It is a nice cuff and somewhat rare.

From your description alone I would say they are the real deal and not replicas.

Cheers, Steve Santini

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

Hello again,

I took the word "Flexibles" to mean a cuff where the bracelet of each cuff is made up of segmented sections not unlike the links of a bicycle chain.

However, the term "Flexibles" in this case and as used by the Inspector you mention only means a cuff that is joined by a chain and is not of the rigid firgure 8 variety.

If your cuff is a true flexible as I have first described here, then it is rather nice and rare.

However, if the bows or bracelets of the cuffs are not made up of segmented sections or links then it is a rather common RCS darby handcuff.

This lack of total segmentation in the wrist loops of the cuff will decrease it's value a good deal.

Steve Santini

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

SANTINI: etc.... i believe that you have forgotten & i think you meant to say that the cuffs were stamped DARTMOUR PRISON -- BY -- R.C.S......but NEVER were actually used at the prison.... like today, the R.C.S company stamped them to make the handcuff more saleable....steve, you can't be getting senile yet !! joe

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

Thanks guys. Looking around on the internet tonight , I've found that these are what you call Darbys. I also found a sight that described Dartmoor prison. So the R.C.S. is the makers mark, but the Dartmoor stamp doesn't mean thaey were used there. I traded a worthless Tombstone repoduction badge for them a few years ago. (The guy wanted the badge bad in spite of my telling him it was worthless) Is there any way to tell how old they are?

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

Hi,

I HAVE seen certain Darby cuffs stamped with H.M. prison's stampings like Dartmoor Prison.

And I have seen such things long before Ebay and the current trend towards repros with fake stamping.

Certainly Joe Lauher, who is the king of Draby collectors has also seen similiar cuffs and a number of his darbies are engraved with the various constabulary to use the irons so we know it IS in fact possible for the stampings or engravings on some Darby cuffs to match where the cuff was intended to be used.

In this case I believe a picture of the restraint in question will help a great deal in determining what is real and vintage and what may have been stamped on the cuff just to give them a little extra value.

Steve Santini

P.S. Not senile yet as I am nowhere as old as you are currently Joe Tanner!

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

The Dartmoor markings are somewhat of a unknown. I have a couple of these and have seen two or three others. The marking is always across the outside of the hinge and is a post manufacturing stamp. The cuffs I have seen have been Hiatts or Fields. This is the first I have heard of a RCS cuffs with the mark.

The marking goes back at least 30 years. If you look at the original book on the Stanly Smyth collection (the big blue one) you can see a nice drawing of a Darby with the mark.

I don't know who put the marks on, but they all look the same and likely have the same source.

Take your pick:

a. The markings are authentic and were applied at Darmoor.
b. The markings were applied by an overly enthusiastic dealer
several decades ago.
c. The markings were applied by an overly enthusiastic collector
several decades ago.

I have always considered choice b to be the most likely answer, but I would like it to be choice a.

I doubt that the markings would have been applied by any manufacturer so I don't think RCS would have applied the mark to a cuff.

If anyone knows more I would be glad to hear about it.

Joe

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

Maybe this will help.

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

again

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

Ok, now I've gotta figure out how to downsize the pictures a little.

Rusty

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

Rusty

The marking on your RCS post is identical to the ones I have seen before.

I don't know who applied the mark, but the identical mark has been around for at least 30 years.

Joe

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

The H.M. Dartmoor P. mark looks like it was applied early in the life of the cuff. Tha patina extends through the lettering.

It's not uncommon on material like this to find imperfect stamps. Witness the gererally poor quality of stamping on Towers cuffs. Probably the result of using a hand stamp, or a sloppy jig.

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

The cuffs are stamped H.M.Dartmoor.P. Technically this is incorrect as it should be
H.M.P.Dartmoor. I don't think this is a mistake that the Prison Service would make. However the stamp looks as aged as the rest of the cuffs. I also doubt that R.C.S would have stamped the cuffs with an incorrect name. Dartmoor like Alcatraz are prison names known around the world and it is these famous names that always turn up never the less well known jails. I'm inclinded to think that the cuffs have been stamped to enhance the value but that it was done some time ago. This begs the question though of would these have been collectable 30 to 40 years ago to the point where someone would do this. Could someone have predicted the internet and Handcuffs.org back in the swinging 60's ???

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

STEVE: no disrespect intended, but i THINK maybe that i have already FORGOTTEN more about handcuffs then you will ever know....by the way, can you tell me the model size of the R.C.S cuff in question here just by looking at the photo ??? .... i know, but can you... maybe i have already forgotten...joe

I know very little of restraint history. I have a pair of what I've seen described as "Flexables" in an srticle by Inspecter Maurice. They appear to be quit well made. Near one hinge is stamped (H.M. Dartmoore. P.)but it doesn't appear to me to be a manufacturer's name. The other hinge has an (80) with an arrow pointing toward the key hole. The flat round end opposite the hinge is stamped (R.C.S.) near the center with the same arrow pointing up to it. On the other there is a (3) stamped low center. both have little crows feet shaped marks arround the edges. Can someone tell me if these are reproductions and / or what all that means. Rusty

I did not correctly remember the picture in Don Stewart's Stanley Smyth Collection book.

The cuff pictured is a RCS cuff also. The book was printed in 1981.






So where did these markings come from? We may never no.

Joe