Houdini Handcuff Key

Any ideas on price range?

Seller states that it's from the Harter collection.

I would not give more than $5 for it as not only will you never know where it truly came from, but down the line, you won't be able to prove to another buyer if Houdini ever even set foot in the same state that this key was found in.

This would be like selling a vintage button while claiming that it fell off one of Houdini's old sweaters as he was getting ready for a straightjacket escape.

Any ideas on price range?

Seller states that it's from the Harter collection.

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Unless one of the experts here knows something different, it's not even a handcuff key. Keys like this were used around the 1960's for cheap jewelry boxes. Brass with a shiney chrome plating. You can see hundreds just like it on e-bay in the small barrel key lots.

Any ideas on price range?

Seller states that it's from the Harter collection.

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It doesn't look familiar to me.

Any ideas on price range?

Seller states that it's from the Harter collection.

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Item number: 190288731658

Item number: 160317382815
Item number: 320344311332
Item number: 270348684938

Any ideas on price range?

Seller states that it's from the Harter collection.

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I asked about a COA and the seller responded that there wasn't one but he had the receipt from the Harter auction.

I've been looking for a Houdini handcuff key and I guess I just got my hopes up.

It does appear to be one of the furniture/cabinet keys.

Darn it.

Any ideas on price range?

Seller states that it's from the Harter collection.

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Does it matter? You didn't bid on it anyway.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Authentic-Harry-Hou ... 240%3A1318

Why, yes, it does matter.

Any ideas on price range?

Seller states that it's from the Harter collection.

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As others have pointed out, the difficulty is in proving provenance.

The owner may have a receipt for a key and may have a key, but who is to say they are the same key? To be useful, a receipt or a COA must describe the item in sufficient detail to exclude all similar items. That's kinda hard with a key. A COA is often suspect anyway, depending on who issued it. Any fool can certify anything.


Without provenance, it's just a key.