The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Hi Joe:
You are missing what I think is the 1930's model. It is identical to the Peerless of the time, and the latest patent date is August, 1932. The later styles, with the DL on the rear, and the change from connecting links to swivel may have been to avoid paying Peerless for the rights to make a similar cuff. I have a "C" model that has no markings.

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

hi joe

I 've got model c and the model stan mentioned
I think the model stan mention is the first
hiatts peerless model but I can be wrong
the only thing I know that customs in Holland uses
this model
hope this helps a bit

best

patrick-handboeienfreak

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

It was a long time ago, but I guess round about the early-70's, I purchased a pair of Hiatt Peerless and the things I remember about them were that they had the chain connection (with swivel on each cuff), just like the ones in your pic Stan, and the quality was excellent. These were brand new, in the box, but I'm not saying they were then-current production, they could well have been old stock.
No, I don't still have them! Must have traded them for something or other - it must have been a good deal at the time but can't now remember where they went. But I definitely remember the swivel on each cuff.

Mike
a.k.a. Mikeintightpants
Birmingham, England

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Stan
How close is you Hiatt Peerless to a real one? Is it different enough to think it was manufacutured by Hiatt or was it just a Peerless cuff with the Hiatt name?
Joe

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

I would say the Hiatt version was made in England. The shape and size of the Hiatt and Peerless cuffs are identical, but the workmanship on the Hiatt is not as finished as the US made cuff. The connecting links are larger and are poorly welded on the Hiatt. If you look at the edge of the lockcase on the US version, it is nicely finished. The edge of the Hiatt is not nicely finished, and it also appears that the lock case part between the cheek plates is a different material or has a slightly different finish. The keyhole on the Hiatt is larger. There is a casting mark (a circle) on both movable bows. it is visible in my photo on the left side of the picture where the movable bow goes into the cuff.
Stan

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Thanks go to Fred Pittella who just contributed this nice picture of a Hiatt Peerless box.


Joe

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

On the side of the box it states:
"Manufactured under Patent Royalties from the Peerless handcuff Co. of America." This would say to me that they were made in England.
Stan

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Yep that's the same as the box that I had - and it clearly shows the 2 connecting links with a swivel on each cuff, rather than the centre swivel.

Mike
a.k.a. Mikeintightpants
Birmingham, England

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Wasn't this also marketed in ads as the "Hiatt Reliant" cuff? I've never seen one marked "Hiatt Reliant". I have ads for it the 1960's somewhere.
Stan

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Dear Joe,

The text at the bottom of Fred's box reads, "THE ONLY HANDCUFF THAT CAN DEFINITELY BE 'FLICKED' ON A PRISONER'S WRIST".

Here is a Hiatt's 1960 Pattern handcuffs and box.



The text at the bottom of it reads, "THIS HANDCUFF CAN DEFINITELY BE 'FLICKED' ON A PRISONER'S WRIST".

Possibly illuminating; probably interesting; certainly repetitious.

Cheers,

Jack
http://www.editing.org.uk/tanis/collectibles.htm

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

The Hiatt Reliant is a real odd ball handcuff. It has a star wheel mechanism and double locks through the key hole like a Tower handcuff.

The reliant looks rather like a Hiatt Peerless on the outside, but its workings are completely different.

As I understand the story, the cuff is rare because Hiatt sold few and recalled most of the ones they did sell. I don't know if this is true, but they are rare. The one I have is truly mint and does not look as if it were ever used.

Joe

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

The Hiatt Reliant is a real odd ball handcuff. It has a star wheel mechanism and double locks through the key hole like a Tower handcuff.

The reliant looks rather like a Hiatt Peerless on the outside, but its workings are completely different.

As I understand the story, the cuff is rare because Hiatt sold few and recalled most of the ones they did sell. I don't know if this is true, but they are rare. The one I have is truly mint and does not look as if it were ever used.

Joe

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Here is an ad for the Reliant's

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

The Hiatt Peerless and Hiatt 1970 have the keyhole facing down when viewed with the movable bows down. The Hiatt Reliant has the keyhole facing up. The Hiatt Peerless double locks with a button on the edge, the same as the Peerless cuff. The Hiatt 1970 double locks with a hole on the back of the cuff or on both the back and the front. How does the Hiatt Reliant double lock ?

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Stan
The Reliant double locks by turning the key in the direction opposite of the way you normally unlock the cuff. Similar to the first model Peerless.

The action on my Reliant is very poor even though the cuff is essentially mint. It is difficult to push the bow through the wheel. It certainly could not be flicked on to a wrist. So much for advertising.

Joe

Joe,

This is an old thread but a recent post about the Hiatt Reliant brought up my interest
for these cuffs as I haven't played with them for quite some time.

I have never thought about the double locking until I tried my own set and realized
they don't have this feature. We don't have to forget these cuffs are of very poor design and quality
and my cuffs might have lost the original double locking feature.

Are you really sure your cuffs are double locking? Eihter my cuffs are broken or the cuffs came in two
versions; with and without double locking.

Except for the missing double locking, my cuffs are working perfectly and lock properly.

Any ideas? How does other Reliant cuffs out there work??


Lars


www.holstcollection.com

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Good question, Lars...I'd like to know myself.

(George B. says his doesn't double-lock, but Joe L. says that his does).
___________________________________________________________________________


Perhaps the above old "Hiatt Reliant" comments can be placed under George's current "Hiatt Reliant" thread (and delete all of the nonsense beneath it).

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

I know that a lot of folks out there have a high opinion of Hiatt cuffs.

But from what I have seen, when they began to try to adopt the Peerless design, it was an absolute disaster.

Being British, it seems that they just refused to accept the fact that other people in other parts of the world had better, and more workable designs. They just kept on doing, as best they could, what they had been doing for a long time. Even though it made no sense.

Whatever you call it, when the first Hiatt Peerless whatever came along, yes, indeed, the body was a swing-through, but they kept that damned old darby swivel to connect the cuffs.

Yes, that first one used a Model 3 key, but it had this strange lock that had the push pin on the backside of the lockcase. For the life of me, I never figured out how that lock mechanism worked, or, more accurately, didn't work. You needed a hammer to get the thing open and closed and double-locked. The nickel finish was sorry, and the casting was terrible. Even the box they came in was inferior.

As for that star wheel thing. Elmer Neel filed a patent on that thing, that was assigned to Peerless, back in the 1920's. It was not practical and was never put into production by Peerless.

But, being British, Hiatt tried to do it and failed.

Also, it seems that old patent caused the demise of Gotcha a while back, but that's another story.

Anyway.

Yes, those Hiatt Reliant cuffs are very rare. But they are a garbage set of cuffs that didn't work worth shucks.

At most, they strike me as being a monument to British obstinancy

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

If anyone has a D model of the hiatt Peerless and want to sell or trade let me know I have a big box of traders

GB68 wrote:

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

If anyone has a D model of the hiatt Peerless and want to sell or trade let me know I have a big box of traders

Click to expand...

The correct order is;

"B" (circa. 1960 to 1969)

"A" (circa. 1969 to 1976)

"C" (circa. 1976 to 1980)

"D" (circa. 1980 to 1986)

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

lauher wrote: ↑

Jun 24, 2007

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff.  I just bought cuff C.  

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them?    In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.  

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C.  So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.  

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe

Click to expand...

Any chance you have these images that could be re-posted? I would love to see this.

Go to page one of this thread. It is the there.

Interesting thanks. The image is not there. I assumed it was another one of those photobucket things which no longer exists. But since you said that I dug into this and Firefox is blocking it because the certificate is wrong on the site for some reason. I have manually opened up the image separately and made an exception to be able to open it.

Thanks.

Here is a repost of the requested picture, just in case anyone else is having troubles getting the original file to open. Hope this helps!
-Richard Knip-

Thanks.

I think I have a pair of B inbound.

If A and B are identical except the chain/swivel then maybe it was just whatever left over swivels they had and just used whatever, so that A and B have no meaningful difference in terms of age or use?

I have a Model A, B and a C, so far. I still am looking for the Model D, if anyone has one to sell.
-Richard Knip-

djhalfdead wrote: ↑

Jun 01, 2022

I have a Model A, B and a C, so far. I still am looking for the Model D, if anyone has one to sell.
-Richard Knip-

I would like to be 2nd in line for one as well.
I think I have the first 3 and would like to find the one at the bottom with exposed rivets.
I reformatted the pic to show in chronological order vs puzzle format for your reference.

This pic was taken at the Netherlands Show in 2010.
I believe they are from Patrick's collection and 2 have end swivels.