Interesting Collar & Cuffs

Hi everyone,

I recently got this collar with attached Tower handcuffs. Supposedly this is from a 1974 Witchita Falls Sheriff's auction. It came with matching leg irons and a padlock. Has anyone ever seen a collar like that?

What amazes me is that the workmanship is very well done, especially the hinges, and where the handcuffs are attached. The screws from the hinges don't show on the inside.

What I wonder is:

- could it have been produced by Tower, possibly as a special request?
(pros: look of metal & patina seem to match on all items; good workmanship
cons: never seen anything like it.

- Or was it homemade by a sheriff / local blacksmith?

- can the padlock provide a clue?

I'd like to hear your comments.
(Sorry about the quality, light was already a little low.)

Nils

It is a nicely made piece. It's quite possible that a local blacksmith or armorer made it. I don't know if the screws don't go all the way through. That would require really short screws. I think it more likely they were closely fitted thropugh-screws that were cut off, then peined, filed, and polished out before the collar was plated. It looks nickle plated, am I correct? That would hide the screws well, unless the plating were removed.

I don't think the lock can prove anything, as there is nothing to tie it to the collar, other than the fact they were bought together. The owner might not have kept them together at all.

The staples, which hold on the Towers cuffs, appear to be a later addition. Note the grinding marks, that go through the plating leaving rust marks, where the protruding bits of the staple were removed. That speaks to me of a second generation of work.

If only they could talk!