The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Peerless 1912 Handcuffs - By Smith & Wesson?

25 visible archived posts · 25 preserved total · topic ID 2133

stevech 05 Jul 2007

According to early Smith & Wesson history books, S & W started producing Peerless 1912 handcuffs in about 1920. The Peerless Handcuff company was founded in 1914 and prior to the contract with Smith & Wesson, the Peerless swing through handcuffs were made by Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers. The history books also say that Smith & Wesson produced Peerless handcuffs up until 1940.

Does anyone have an early Peerless handcuff that was made prior to Smith & Wesson manufacturing? I assume this would be a "rounded case" model with no grooves in the bows, a single large link, and no Smith & Wesson markings. I have seen a number of the early Peerless cuffs with the Smith & Wesson markings, but have never seen a very early Peerless cuff without S & W markings.

I have only seen the "Mfg by Smith & Wesson" markings on the early cuffs with the single link. Once the two chain link came out, the markings changed. Also since S & W made cuffs for Peerless up until 1940, it appears S & W made cuffs for many years that did not contain the "Mfg by Smith & Wesson" markings.

Can anyone provide a photo of a very early Peerless cuff made by Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers?

holstcollection 06 Jul 2007

Hi Steve,

The first Peerless handcuffs looks like this

It has the Smith & Wesson Mfg stamping as well. I have never heard of Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers.
Has anyone else?

Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Stan Willis 06 Jul 2007

I knew about Barney and Berry, but have never seen a pair of cuffs with those markings. I heard about a pair many years ago, but I doubthed they were marked with Barney and Berry because the owner could never provide a picture.
Stan

Brad Darling 06 Jul 2007

Steve and Lars,

In my Harrington & Richardson article in the 2006 Annual I have a tangental discussion about the early manufacturers of of the Peerless. It's at p. 75.

Brad

Anonymous 06 Jul 2007

For the early ones, the roller skate company provided the chrome plating only. They didn't make them, they just plated them.

Marc 06 Jul 2007

Brad

According to your article Barney and Berry made the first cuffs and then Smitn & Wesson in 1920. This confuses me because only the earliest cuffs are marked Smith & Wesson. It would seem more likely that Smith & Wesson came first.

Marc

stevech 06 Jul 2007

I have two different sources that confirm the Barney and Berry manufacture of the very earliest Peerless Handcuffs. American Police Equipment by Matthew G Foote states "The very first contractor was Barney and Berry Skate Manufaturers, a firm located on Broad street in Springfield. Later Smith & Wesson began to manufacture these cuffs and did so until 1940. At that time, the contract was given to Bemis & Call Hardware & Tool Company of Springfield........which made them until Peerless itself began to make them in 1950."

The other reference is Smith & Wesson 1857-1945 by Robert J Neal & Roy G Jinks.

This raised my interest in anyone having a photo of a very early Peerless cuff without the Smith & Wesson markings.

I also wonder whether Smith and Wesson sold handcuffs under their own name prior to selling the Model 90 in 1952. Has anyone seen a Smith & Wesson handcuff prior to the Model 90 that is marked Smith & Wesson and does not also have the Peerless name on them?

Thanks for any additional information anyone can provide.

Marc 06 Jul 2007

Sorry, but it does not make any sense. All the Peerless Model 1 cuffs including the rarer ones with the curved lock case that matches the patent are marked Smith & Wesson. There is no room for an earlier company with out S & W being part of the action. Perhaps the theory that S & W made them and the skate company plated thrm is correct.

Marc

stevech 08 Jul 2007

Thanks for all of the input and comments. After further consideration, I suggest that Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers actually made the early Peerless cuffs up until about 1920. I also feel they marked these cuffs "Mfg by Smith & Wesson" and "Peerless". This explains why the early Peerless cuffs are all marked "Smith and Wesson" but it also fits the facts provided by long time and well respected Smith and Wesson historian, Roy Jinks. Smith & Wesson was clearly working on the design and early patents for various upgrades to the early Peerless handcuffs, it is equally possible that the actual production was contracted out to Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers until 1920. These were all early manufacturers in Springfield Mass area and this could be the explanation of why all early Peerless cuffs include the "Mfg by Smith & Wesson" markings, but Smith & Wesson history shows that Barney and Berry actually produced these early cuffs.

Thoughts?

Brad Darling 08 Jul 2007

#10

The reference in my article was the Neal and Jinks book, it's cited in the footnotes.

I sort of figured that the guy who has been the factory historian for over forty years, Roy Jinks, would have a pretty good handle on the info.

At least that's what we all do at the Smith & Wesson Collectors Assn.

Brad

annon 09 Jul 2007

#11

annon blah blah blah if you don't know the facts then don't say anything. people like you just confuse the issue.. how stupid that barney made the cuffs marked mfg by smith or wesson. maybe wesson made them for smith who and just thought the would call them peerless for they were fearless. go bother a different forum with your stupidity

lauher 09 Jul 2007

#12

Actually it does make sense. Early on Peerless clearly did not have a manufacturing or a design facility. They needed someone to make their cuffs. Smith & Wesson had lots of manufacturing and design expertise, but lacked the tools and machinery required for making items out of flat steel. Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers would have had the necessary equipment.

So how is this scenario?

After receiving their patent Peerless signs a contract with S & W to manufacture their cuffs.

S & W engineers and designers come up with a manufacturing plan, but lacking the necessary tools write a subcontract to Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers for the actual production. This starts in 1914.

Once S & W sees that the handcuff production is a viable operation, they invest in their own tooling and take over production in 1920. S & W may have had excess facilities following WWI.

In 1940 another war is on the horizon, S & W decides to focus on the primary product. Peerless contracts Bemis & Call Hardware & Tool Company to make their cuffs.

After the war in 1950 Peerless finally builds their own manufacturing facility and takes over all production.

Joe

Unknown / guest 09 Jul 2007

#13

Actually it does make sense. Early on Peerless clearly did not have a manufacturing or a design facility. They needed someone to make their cuffs. Smith & Wesson had lots of manufacturing and design expertise, but lacked the tools and machinery required for making items out of flat steel. Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers would have had the necessary equipment.

So how is this scenario?

After receiving their patent Peerless signs a contract with S & W to manufacture their cuffs.

S & W engineers and designers come up with a manufacturing plan, but lacking the necessary tools write a subcontract to Barney and Berry Skate Manufacturers for the actual production. This starts in 1914.

Once S & W sees that the handcuff production is a viable operation, they invest in their own tooling and take over production in 1920. S & W may have had excess facilities following WWI.

In 1940 another war is on the horizon, S & W decides to focus on their primary product. Peerless contracts Bemis & Call Hardware & Tool Company to make their cuffs.

After the war in 1950 Peerless finally builds their own manufacturing facility and takes over all production.

Joe

Anonymous 09 Jul 2007

#14

Joe:

Sounds like you took the time to meet with the Gill family.

Thank you.

Mike_P 09 Jul 2007

#15

Hmm. How could Peerless tell the exact day of manufacture of a set of cuffs if they didn't make the cuffs themselves? At least cuffs made in the beginning of the 1930s must have been made by Peerless.

annon 09 Jul 2007

#16

hey if we are going to make history where 30 years from now what is said today wheather what is said is right or wrong becomes fact well what about dawson machine co ... maybe they made the early 1904 approx. as no one knows cuff that is known as the early 1st model peerless mad by wesson or smith.... or better yet maybe we should make it a fact that mattatuck was the contractor for more b b and s who then shipped them to smith or wesson who then shipped them to peerless

Joseph Fox 10 Jul 2007

#17

Every so often - this same topic rears it's ugly head on this message board - ending with much of the same speculation & guessing --and that's a GOOD thing (makes an interesting debate! - along with the topic of figuring out all of the Peerless model dates & patent numbers)...

The topic of "Peerless vs. S&W vs. Barney & Berry" (Who made what & when & why?)...would make a good lecture topic at a future Escape-Handcuff-Lock Collector's Show/Convention.

stevech 12 Jul 2007

#18

Thanks again to everyone for the input. I wrote directly to Peerless and asked this same question. Here is the response I received:

Our records are very spotty for the early years of Peerless. We do not
have complete records and therefore what you learn may be as good or
better that what we have learned.

I have several early cuffs in the office that do not have Smith and
Wesson marked on them. It is my understanding that Barney and Berry only
made the cuffs for a few years until the manufacturing was taken over by
S&W. Our older cuffs do not have the "barrel style key" that is
currently used. There may be some overlap of the two styles.

No one here is sure when my Great Grandfather switched the manufacturing
to S&W but we would be interested in finding out more details if you can
get them.

Chris Gill
Peerless Handcuff Company

Anonymous 13 Jul 2007

#19

Thank you, Mr. Gill

Dumbass 13 Jul 2007

#20

Great

So all of those early Peerless handcuffs were made by a damned roller skate company.

So much for collectibles

stevech 14 Jul 2007

#21

If it really matters, according to old ads I have seen in books, Barney and Berry made Ice Skates rather than roller skates.

Anonymous 14 Jul 2007

#22

Anyone want a set of roller skates made by the Peerless Handuff Company, of Springfield, MA

Edgeplay_Cgo 14 Jul 2007

#23

It's funny, sometimes, who gets subcontracted to manufacture stuff. The connections aren't that intuitie, unless you see their shop and see what machines they have.

Over the years I've had an M-16 made by Hydra-Matic, a .45 by Remington Rand typerighter co., a carbine by L C Smith typewriters, mortars by Whirlpool, and a few others I don't remember.

lauher 14 Jul 2007

#24

Barney & Berry made ice skates and roller skates.

Jack 14 Jul 2007

#25

Hello,

There is an excellent, well-researched, detailed account of this issue in Matthew G. Forte's book, American Police Equipment, pages 76 - 81.

Cheers,

Jack

P.S. If you don't have this book, you should. It may be purchased directly from the author by clicking [url=mailto:mforte72@aol.com]here[/url].