Joe Your Firman cuffs

Hi Joe,

You have a pair of darby cuffs on your site made by Firman & Sons. Do you think it could actually be Firmin & Sons. Firmin's is a Birmingham based company founded in 1677 and still trading today. A representative of Firmin & Sons told me that he's sure that I quote "they did supply handcuffs which most likely were bought in from Hiatts however branded as our own "
It may also interest you to know that Firmins bought out
William Dowler& Sons who by the way are actually still trading under their own name manufacturing buttons and badges.
Firmins also bought out Smith & Wright and J.R.Gaunt & Sons I don't know if these other names may mean something to you. You can visit Firmin & Sons site at www.firmin.co.uk It's worth a look. They make high end regalia and ceremonial items.

This is the entry for Firman taken from my British Handcuffs book.

Joe

Firmin & Sons has the distinction of being the oldest company listed in these pages. The company was founded as a button company by a Thomas Firman in London in the seventeenth century. A history of the company can be found on their web site at: http://www.firmin.co.uk

“Established in 1677 with origins dating back to before the reign of Charles II, Firmin & Sons is one of the longest established companies in the United Kingdom. Originally based in the City of London, the Company moved to Birmingham, the manufacturing heartland of the UK, in the late 19th Century.”

“From modest beginnings as button makers, Firmin became the leading supplier of every form of uniform, livery or badge, and the accessories and accoutrements to go with them. This achievement was recognised when Firmin exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. Firmin's renown was international: in the American Civil War both sides wore Firmin buttons.”

Today the Firmin Group includes several other companies including William Dowler & Son. (See the Dowler subchapter). Their current products include all sorts of uniforms and accoutrements for Navy, Military and Air Force requirements, including badges, awards and swords.

None of the standard handcuff books list Firman. The standard Darby shown above carries a “FIRMIN & SONS” mark, but there is no date and the age of the cuff is difficult to determine. The cuff came from a dealer who claimed that it was a Confederate Civil War handcuff. There is no way prove this claim, but it is well established that Firman & Sons, of 153 Stand, London made all sorts of other equipment for the Confederacy including buttons and swords. It is reasonable that they could have supplied handcuffs as well.

It is not know which company actually made the Firman handcuff. There is nothing particularly unusual about it and it could have been made by any other major companies.

Hi Joe,

You have a pair of darby cuffs on your site made by Firman & Sons. Do you think it could actually be Firmin & Sons. Firmin's is a Birmingham based company founded in 1677 and still trading today. A representative of Firmin & Sons told me that he's sure that I quote "they did supply handcuffs which most likely were bought in from Hiatts however branded as our own "
It may also interest you to know that Firmins bought out
William Dowler& Sons who by the way are actually still trading under their own name manufacturing buttons and badges.
Firmins also bought out Smith & Wright and J.R.Gaunt & Sons I don't know if these other names may mean something to you. You can visit Firmin & Sons site at www.firmin.co.uk It's worth a look. They make high end regalia and ceremonial items.

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Hi Joe,
Sorry about that but old news and old questions ...............Something I seem to specialise in.

I have ordered your book but it still hasn't arrived. I thought I'd done a good mornings work !!!

If thats the sort of detail you have in your book then I guess I'll be on hot bricks until it arrives.

Regards
Mark