The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

wow!!!!

15 visible archived posts · 15 preserved total · topic ID 2002

adam 23 Apr 2007

I was just looking through the collections some of you posted on here and all i can say is WOW. They make my collection of 20 or so look bad, while most of you look like your running out of room to store them all. Anybody and everybody..how long have you been collecting and a rough estimate on how many you have in your collection. Thanks for looking and thanks for your answers. Adam

Stan Willis 23 Apr 2007

38 years and 1310 restraints.
Stan
www.handcuffsandbadges.com

adam 24 Apr 2007

That's crazy awesome...

anonymous 007 24 Apr 2007

you can buy his crazy awsome cd and see
everything he has in the ole crazy awsome
collection.

Chris Gower 26 Apr 2007

Still in the process of trying to catalogue the collection, but it is about 700 items collected over 38 years (guess Stan and I both started collecting at the same time when we were very young!).
Chris Gower

patrick-handboeienfreak 26 Apr 2007

hi

my collection start in 1982 and it counts now about 243 handcuffs
legirons and thumbcuffs

patrick-handboeienfreak

grenchat 26 Apr 2007

My handcuff collection began in earnest back in the late 70s.
In all the years to follow, Ive only managed to accrue a modest collection of about 35 fine specimens, with several pairs packed away in storage.

Back in the early 80s, I used to buy sets of Smith & Wesson model 9x series cuffs for $10 apiece from my local police department, as they were being replaced by the N.I.J. certified 10x series. This netted about another 20 pairs of cuffs, most of which were auctioned off in the late 90s.

As for antique cuffs, I prefer to buy fewer and better kept specimens, and will likely purchase one or two more sets by summers end.

Happy collecting

Jason

FRED 27 Apr 2007

WOW, is probably not a strong enough way to describe some of these collections.
I have been collecting since the early 70's, now that's a WOW because I'm still trying to figure out where the time has escaped to!!
And I'm still taken by some of these collections when you meet some of these guys which I have the honor of calling friends, and seeing in person their treasures is truly amazing!!! I have not had the privilege as of yet of seeing Stan's collection, one I'm looking forward too seeing in the near future.
But collections like Gordon's, Marks, Yossie, Joe's and Joe's are usually beyond words!!! But you shouldn't be discouraged, because you have to remember these collections did not come about overnight. Years are involved here. There seems to be more opportunity in picking up rarer pieces these day's granted you are bidding for them now which is tough when it comes to pricing. Back in prehistoric times of collecting you would get a mailed list of handcuffs that where for sale and there where a couple of guys out there Like Prynce Wheeler then Joe took over, Ray McKee, Larry Weeks and Patterson Smith.All by the way are gentelmen in my book!!
And more times then not when you finally made up your mind on something, it was already sold.
So you would go to the next piece on the list and hope that was still available.
So I guess what I'm saying is if it makes you feel good collecting just keep doing it!!!!
As long as you're are not bidding against me! LOL
HAPPY COLLECTING!!!
Fred

Franklin 28 Apr 2007

While all of us here do enjoy the fun of collecting, one question has begun to bug me a little:

How do you sell a handcuff/restraint collection?

I know perfectly well that when I fall over dead, none of those lousy sons of . . . uhh . . . excuse me. fine and wonderful heirs of mine will want what I have assembled over the years. And that's okay.

But I would like for them to get the bucks out of it as well as know that the things wound up in somebody's possession who will appreciate them.

To me, the whole idea of a collection is that by being a collection, it has a greater value (and not just money-wise) than the sum of the individual pieces.

Anybody got any suggestions here?

Anonymous 28 Apr 2007

#10

Leave a will giving the cuff collection to Michael Griffin, he will see to it that it will stay together and not be sold off one piece at a time on ebay as a "rare set of so and so cuffs" for mega bucks. ;p

Anonymous 28 Apr 2007

#11

now

Bruce Thomson 28 Apr 2007

#12

For me it started almost 20 years ago. My collection is small still, as I mostly spend money on escapologist ephemera.
I have resisted buying modern cuffs of late in the hopes of building up a respectable period cuff display. I just think that $100 for a few newer cuffs would get a nice older one and it would stand a chance of retaining its value. Although when some of the new cuffs suddenly shoot up in price I get 'didn't buy it remorse', the cousin of buyers remorse.

jbushey 29 Apr 2007

#13

HI everyone.
So many friends have posted here I might as well too!
I began in early 70's, about the same time as Freddy.
I, like Bruce, focus on escape artist and Houdini memorabilia and started the handcuff collection as a sideline to the Houdini collection. I have about 175 pieces, and started with period cuffs (1880's-1920's). I went for a variety of shapes (1 bottleneck, 1 tower, Pinkerton, Cobb, etc...) and never understood the idea of collecting the small varients
of each model. Well, somehow, it started. I had a Cavaney, and then Marlin, somewhere along the line picked up a thick model Marlin, Pat. Applied for Adams (to match the Patent model), and I began collecting varients too. While relatively small, my collection is nice, and certainly adds a lot of displayability to my Houdini material. After buying a house this year, I now have one whole room devoted to cuffs, and one to paper Houdiniana & escape memorabilia. As Fred stated, it takes years unless your resources are unlimited.
Be patient, pick up one item at a time, and soon your collection will be well on it's way.

Unimuc 06 May 2007

#14

Hi,

good questions... I'm not sure how long I'm "collecting", I bought my first handcuffs possibly a few more than 10 years ago, but interest in the various models started much later. Possibly in 2003/4 when I began to investigate on high security handcuffs due to my lockpicking hobby. I'm not mainly collecting historical restraints like many of you here, but am more into current models, especially very secure ones. So I have for example 5 different restraints using the CuffMaxx device (1 Medeco, 4 ASSA Desmo - which I have picked already by the way, offhand I admit).

I recently did a count for this thread in the german handcuff forum:
http://www.handschellenforum.de/forum/v ... 1&start=16
for which I created this overview picture of my collection:
Overview Picture

There you find:
62 Handcuffs (a few being duplicates or, in case of GDR Model 3, even 7 times the same, I have to admit. 4 cuffs found missing in the picture so far, one is planned to be sold, which makes 65 in my collection)
11 Leg Irons (one missing as I meanwhile found out, so I've got at least 12
2 Hand/Leg Combinations (Ralkem and Chicago Car transport)
3 Belly Chain/Cuff combinations (Clejuso, Peerless + CuffMaxx ASSA, ASP)

making a total of about 80 devices... Belts and chains without handcuffs not included.

Greetings from Munich, Germany
Martin

Andy-58 11 May 2007

#15

Hello,
in the same Thread in www.handschellenforum.de like unimuc is a picture of my little collection, 2 postings after unimucs posting. There are some historical items and some unusual like SM-Factory. Also a Peerless 710 with Assa Desmo, i have also picked it (of course "offhand"), i was the first who has done it in this german forum...

My collection on the picture is not complete, some items and a straitjacket is missing and some special locks from safes (LaGard, Kromer) are also not included.

I am always looking for interesting and historical items at ebay, but just europe, because import from USA is much more difficuilt for me.

Regards
Andy