The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Elias Richards Handcuffs on eBay

68 visible archived posts · 68 preserved total · topic ID 2974

lauher 05 Apr 2009

A pair of Elias Richards (actually Elijah Rickard) handcuffs are for sale on eBay. Like most other ER cuffs the are numbered (161) and this pair is complete with key. This auction should be exciting. I remember the last one very well.

Joe

Unknown / guest 07 Apr 2009

The seller has sent me some more information about the ER cuffs along with some pictures. The cuffs come with the matching key, both are numbered 161.

The key is right handed turning clockwise to engage the lock. This is unusual, because in my survey of known ER cuffs all but one are left handed.

The pictures are a little fuzzy, but they show that the cuff is in pretty good shape.

Good luck to all the bidders.
Joe

Damon Shields 07 Apr 2009

Joe,

How many pair of ER's are known to exist? Do you have photos of yours?

Thanks,

Damon

lauher 07 Apr 2009

Damon

I am not sure of the exact number. I know of 6 copies including my own in private collections plus 1 in a museum. This one would be number 8. Of course there are likely others that I do not know about, but in any case these cuffs are certainly rare. They are the first known American handcuff and it is a wonder that any have survived.

Leg irons are even rarer. Tom Gross shows one in his book and there is one in a museum. I bought a single leg shackle from Steve Santini a while back, I do not know of a another example.

Here is a picture of my ER handcuff (#1020) along with the single ER leg shackle.

Joe

Stan Willis 07 Apr 2009

I got an email form another collector who though the picture of my ER on my CD showed one cuff cut or broken. It is just a poor picture. there is a white paper ID label wrapped around the lock tube and attached with scotch tape. In the picture it looks broken. I agree with Joes number of ER cuffs that are in collections.

Michael Busch 11 Apr 2009

Does anyone know who won the cuff? A reader of the forum?

Best,

Michael

Atlanta*Casting 11 Apr 2009

I had bid early in the auction but they soon went way beyond what I can afford
for a rarity like this.

Congratulations to however got them ..

Atlanta*Casting 11 Apr 2009

WoW, $6101.00

here is the link to the E.R. handcuffs auction if anyone is interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0326113746

Unresolved image reference ↗

holstcollection 12 Apr 2009

Hi!

It was me who won the auction. They got very pricy but I wanted them badly.
Does anyone know who was the second highest bidder?

Happy Easter to all,

Lars

www.holstcollection.com

lauher 12 Apr 2009

#10

Lars

Congratulations. Nice to know they are going to a good home.

Joe

Atlanta*Casting 12 Apr 2009

#11

ebay has made it nearly impossible to tell who the underbidder is..

Atlanta*Casting 12 Apr 2009

#12

Lars,

Congrats on your win.

ebay has made it near impossible to tell who your underbidder is..

holstcollection 12 Apr 2009

#13

Thanks a lot! I'm extremely happy to add them to the collection.

Lars

Bruce Thomson 12 Apr 2009

#14

And now there is a Phelps on auction, just about to crack the $1,000 mark.
No, its not mine.
No, I am not in the running for it.
Sigh.

weaseldandaw 12 Apr 2009

#15

Congratulations Lars,

Hopefully I will be lucky enough to see them in Antwerp next year! ???

Weasel

Atame 12 Apr 2009

#16

Congratulations, Lars!

BTW: I am wondering why you did not buy some McKenzie Mitts so far. I think there were some opportunities the last two or three years to get a pair for much less than this ER cuffs.

Best regards,
Guenter

holstcollection 13 Apr 2009

#17

Thank you Dan and Atame!

Atame, it's a very good question indeed! And yes you are right; there have been a few Mitts for sale over the last 2 - 3 years. The latest one was recently listed on eBay with a starting price at $6000 (equal to the E.R. price) and didn't sell.

Sure, the Mitts are very rare. Stan knows about 30 specimens in collections. According to Joe and Stan there are only about 7 E.R. cuffs known in collections (one in a museum included) which makes the E.R. rarer than the Mitts.
Also the Wisner cuffs are known in less number than the Mitts. I guess even the Carberry cuff is known in less number than 30. Stan, do you agree???

The reason to why I haven't bought any of the Mitts yet is that none of them has been in the condition I want (yes, I know I'm a nitpicker) and the prices have been to high according to how much I've been willing to pay for a set.
At last, I've actually never been too keen on the Mitts. There are many other rare restraints I like much more than the Mitts; the E.R, Wisner, Mühlenfeld 115, the Oregon Boot and Berliners are only a few of them. The E.R. cuff is the very first known manufactured in the U.S. which make them an important mile stone among handcuffs.
I know that the Mitts for a long time have been "the Holy Grale" for many collectors but not for me.

It would be very interesting hear other collectors opinion on this topic. What cuffs are your favorite cuffs among the very rarest? Make a list of 5!

A happy end of the Easter to all,

Lars

The Amazing Michael 13 Apr 2009

#18

Lars, congrats on your new cuffs!!! You are now one step closer to matching Stan! LOL!!!

That said, here is my Top 5 "Holy Grail" cuffs:

1. Guiteau Cuffs

2. Palmer #2 leg irons with chain (not terribly rare, but still very badly wanted)

3. Kakola's

4. The Mitts

5. Tower Detective leg irons

I was never really into the ER cuffs, they are not much more than glorified Darbies in my opinion. I am not dissing them or anyone who has a great appreciation for them......some people feel the same way about the Palmers (my all time favorite) and that is okay. It's things like this that makes the World go around. =)

BTW, I hope to see some of you guys in Indy this year!

Cheers, Mike D~C/

Atame 13 Apr 2009

#19

Hi Lars,

thank you very much fort he explanation. Frankly, for me the Mitts also were/are the Holy Grail - so I bought the ones, which were formaly used on some pretty shackled maidens . They are working and the condition is lets say average. I still have to do some cleaning (but I am sooo lazy!).

It's very difficult to make a Top 5. Frankly I cannot even exactly grade the three highlights of my current collection, which are
- The Mitts
- The heavy German Prison Combination
- The Stotz Leg Irons

Best regards,
Guenter

Anon 13 Apr 2009

#20

Maybe HC1938

joe tanner 13 Apr 2009

#21

besides the E. R. cuffs, the items listed below should be on everyones top 11 or so list of american made items..........
1. KIMBALL
2. RUTTIMAN
3. GUITEAU
4. LOREY
5. WISNER
6. OREGON BOOT
7. MCKENZIE MITTS
8. MARLIN LEG IRON
9. ADAMS LEG IRON
10. BURDICK CHAIN LEG IRON
after these, there are others
-- TOWER DETECTIVE LEG IRON
JOHN LOVELL BEAN LEG IRON
MATTATUCK LEG IRON

Stan Willis 13 Apr 2009

#22

Here is part of my wish list, in no particular order..
All of these are extremely rare.
1. KIMBALL
2. RUTTIMAN (only 1 known)
3. GUITEAU
4. LOREY
5. ER Leg iron
6. G.P. Houston cuff
7. Marlin Leg iron
8. Adams leg iron
9. Berliner Leg iron
10. Stotz leg iron

Atame 13 Apr 2009

#23

Since I have been asked about my "Heavy German Prison Combination" - here it is:

BTW: I know only one other piece of this restraints - so it seems to be rarer than ER handcuffs .

Best regards,
Guenter

Unresolved image reference ↗

Atlanta*Casting 13 Apr 2009

#24

Atame, Nice transport set.

They do make a heavy statement for sure.

joe tanner 13 Apr 2009

#25

STAN:: you are right about the GEORGE PORTER HUSTON bar cuff as i have ever only seen the one that i had... joe

jbushey 13 Apr 2009

#26

Hello all,
My dream five are, in no particular order:

1. Guiteau
2. Wisner Hoyt
3. Lorey Combination
4. Kimball
5. The handcuff I once owned but sold to a dealer (now in Gluff collection)
I has a keyhole cover, opened with key, a combo lock, with dial turning
from a key in rear of lock body, and finally a regular keyway. I miss
that cuff.

Other Wants
6. Mitts (sold mine)
7. Delestatius Handcuff
8. Lily Leg Iron (sold mine)

OK - I know what you say, why did I sell some I want. Well, when you got 'em
you tend not to want 'em. It's only when you don't have them that you most
want them. Agree???
Best Wishes, John Bushey

Stan Willis 14 Apr 2009

#27

Joe Tanner:
I was under the impression that you also had the only Ruttiman cuff known. Is there more than one ?
Stan

RestraintsBlog 14 Apr 2009

#28

Can someone point to a Kimball photo?

My top searching:

1. Romer Leg Iron
2. Bean leg iron
3. Bean Collar
4. Stotz
5. ???

My collection is not so advanced yet, so I am aiming to attainable targets.

-----------------------------------
http://restraintsblog.blogspot.com/

Anonymous 14 Apr 2009

#29

Re: Elias Richards Handcuffs on eBay

joe tanner 14 Apr 2009

#30

STAN :: you are correct... i did have the only known RUTTIMAN cuff, but alas it went to a great person & home..... i also HAD the G.P. HOUSTON bar cuff & i believe it is the only one known - but not sure................... JOHN:: i may have had the SAME cuff you had -- it was a LUNA ?? cuff that you had to set a bronze dial combo before you could use the key to unlock it.... i got it from a great guy who i will call MR. FUDGE man - you know who... but again - it too went to a great guy.... joe

Damon Shields 14 Apr 2009

#31

Top Five in no perticular order;

1. Berliner
2. Wisner
3. Palmer
4. Elias Richards
5. Phelps

Very easy to expand the list to 25!!!!!

lauher 14 Apr 2009

#32

Here is my all British list. Some are rarer than others.

Center locking plug 8
Griffin bar cuff
Griffin Darby
Griffin & Hiatt Darby
Hiatt Sheffield key adjustable Darby
Baker plug 8
Baker Darby
SM Co plug 8
Froggatt Nipper
RCS legiron

Joe

fred 14 Apr 2009

#33

OK OK If there is a handcuff Geni out there I would like to have my wish lisit out there....
1. WISNER HOYT
2. GUITEAU
3. KIMBELL
4. LOREY
5. HOUSTON
6. BURDICK LEG IRON
7. MARLIN LEG IRON
8. ADMAS LEG IRON
9. BERLINER LEG IRON
10.STOTZ LEG IRON
Hope he grants more then 3 wishs????

A Poor Slob 14 Apr 2009

#34

Greetings from the homeless shelter, Here is my wish list:

10: Jay Pee Handcuff marked TAARC
9: Ball and Chain imprinted with Yuma Prison
8: T.H. Porter Marked Dealer in Slaves
7: Railroad Seal Lock Leg Irons
6: Tire Chain Leg Irons
5: Chinese imitation of an Imitation Tower Detective
4: $275 Iron Claw
3: Camel Hobbles that Houdini jumped into the ice covered Detroit river with
2: Pakistan imitation of a Chinese imitation of an Imitation Tower Detective
1: The Smits

Michael Busch 14 Apr 2009

#35

Hi everybody,

and here is my absolute number 1. When I have this one I will stop collecting (Luckily I will never get it, so I can go on collecting):

Best to all of you,

Michael

Michael Busch 14 Apr 2009

#36

... and here are the numbers 2 to 10...

- Berliner leg-irons
- Horst Stein leg-irons
- Orgeon boot
- Romer handcuffs
- 1st model August Schwarz
- Barrel-key Hamburg 8
- #61 Houdini handcuff
- Dortmunder with folding bows

And a Busch nipper would be nice!

holstcollection 14 Apr 2009

#37

Hi all,

Im happy so many of you enjoy the new topic!
Rare cuffs is always a nice topic.

Ok, here is my top list (in no particular order)

1 Mühlenfeld leg irons
2 Mühlenfeld 113 with foldable bows
3 Kimball
4 Luna
5 Wisner & Hoyt
6 Marlin leg irons
7 Tower Detective leg irons
8 Adams leg irons
9 Phelps, first version
10 Schwertfeger

...and many, many more. That's what makes collecting so funny!

Lars

Unknown / guest 15 Apr 2009

#38

Hi all,

I really can recommend DHL for fast and reliable overseas shipping.
The E.R. handcuffs were shipped from New Hampshire, USA, on Monday
and arrived here in Sweden this morning; in less than 48 hours.

Here is a better picture of the cuffs.

Lars

Unresolved image reference ↗

Ian McColl 16 Apr 2009

#39

Hi Lars, thanks for the better photo. The cuffs look good. They look like either like they have been cleaned, to bare metal or could it be plating. Not that I actually think they were at that time but just thought I would ask.

Ian

Atlanta*Casting 16 Apr 2009

#40

Lars,

They sure do make a statement.

Are you going to polish and have them gold plated?

holstcollection 16 Apr 2009

#41

Hi

No, they have not been cleaned and they will never be (not by me anyway).
I'm always processing and "cleaning" my pictures in Photoshop. The previous
picture went wrong in color balance. The new picture shows all details in a
much better way.

Thanks for your attention,

Lars

Unknown / guest 16 Apr 2009

#42

Ian, did you get my emails I sent you a couple
of days ago? I might be in your spam filter

/Lars

Mick Hanzlik 16 Apr 2009

#43

Just a quick question from someone who is not too hot on Elias Richards Handcuffs. In the photo, the key is marked 181 and the bow is marked 161. Is that because the key and the cuffs are not a matching pair? My thoughts are that both numbers should be the same, and if they are not, does that affect the value?

I know about the rarity of these cuffs, so maybe this is not important.

I'd welcome any thoughts on this.

Thanks

Mick

Stan Willis 16 Apr 2009

#44

I think in the case of this ER the fact that the numbers do not match has no influence on the price. The key is original and works the cuff. I have a different attitude about keys than some other collectors. I am buying the cuff, not the key. If it has an original key I might bid a little higher, but it usually doesn't stop me from buying a cuff without a key because keys are usually easy to make or can be bought. Over the years I've also bought original cuff keys when I see them, so I might even have a key. Of course there are some exceptions, like the Chubb. All 1470 of my cuffs are in working order and have a key. Many have an original key. Some have a non original key that looks and works like the original, and some have a working key and I have no idea if it is an original key. It's up to the individual collector to decide how picky he or she is about having an original key.
Stan

holstcollection 16 Apr 2009

#45

Mick Hanzlic,

Please have a closer look...

Still, I doesn't think it affects the value. Maybe the E.R. is not so hot to you but they are to me.

Lars

Unresolved image reference ↗

lauher 17 Apr 2009

#46

In general I don't care much about keys either, but if a cuff comes with a number matched key I do consider that a real bonus. This is particularly true with an old mainly handmade cuff like an ER. The original numbered key was likely hand fit to the particular cuff.

It is also a bit amazing to consider that the key and the cuff have remained together for over 150 years. I usually manage to loose something like that on the first day that I own it.

Joe

Damon Shields 17 Apr 2009

#47

What is more amazing is that the seller said that he was 65 years old and remembers play with the cuffs when he was a child. Just a fantastic handcuff.

Damon

Atlanta*Casting 17 Apr 2009

#48

Lars,

Happy to see you post additional photos to clear up the key issue.

E.R. Handcuffs marked 161
Original Key marked 161

Enjoy your new handcuffs!!

Mick Hanzlik 17 Apr 2009

#49

Hello Lars, please don't think I was being "picky" over the key numbers. That's not my style! The later photograph clears it up very well, although when you look at the original picture it's easy to mistake the 6 for an 8.

When I said I'm not too hot on Elias Richards cuffs,what I really meant was that I don't know enough about them. I'm really pleased that you managed to get them, and I didn't mean to take any of that pleasure away from you. I hope my message abouut the keys didn't make you think otherwise.

All best wishes

Mick

holstcollection 20 Apr 2009

#50

Hello Mick,

No problems at all. I can see it was easy to take the number "6" on the key for a "8".
I actually had to use a magnifier myself.

Best wishes,

Lars

lauher 20 Apr 2009

#51

Lars
Can you confirm that the key is right handed as stated by the dealer?
thanks
Joe

Damon Shields 20 Apr 2009

#52

Joe,

Lars has the ER's posted on his web site with a description that the thread is to the right.

Damon

holstcollection 20 Apr 2009

#53

Joe,

Damon is right but I haven't confirmed it here.

Yes, they are right hand threaded. Of the 8 specimen you know about; how many are right
verses left hand threaded?

Cheers,

Lars

Stan Willis 20 Apr 2009

#54

Mine is left hand thread.
Stan

Ron Spitz 20 Apr 2009

#55

I wonder how many copies of the ER's were made by Ian and if and how they were marked? Also what was the finish like?

Ron

lauher 20 Apr 2009

#56

Lars

I knew of 6 previous cuffs in collector's hands, plus one in museum (the CHIPs museum in California.) Five of the collector owned examples were left handed, one was right handed. The museum one is an unknown.

I also have a single leg sized manacle and a padlock. Both are left handed.

So left handed seems to be the norm, making yours on the rarer side.

Joe

holstcollection 21 Apr 2009

#57

Joe,

Its very interesting how many of the E.R. are left handed since most other cuffs are right handed. The only cuff
I know about in strictly left handed version is the Stotz. I have never heard of any right handed specimen.

Good to be on the rare side anyway.

Lars

Andy-58 21 Apr 2009

#58

Hello,
i have a right handed Stotz, see at my Page onhttp://www.andys-handschellensammlung.d ... otz_en.htm (sorry, text is onle german but there is a picture with the right handed thread). The key is not original, it is from a KUB darby and fits not perfectly, you can turn it about two times and then you have to pull on it.

I have also shown them to the german forumhttp://www.handschellenforum.de and also to Atame. He thinks it is an original Stotz.

Best regards
Andy-58

Steve Santini 21 Apr 2009

#59

No flared end to the keyway.

A cool variation.

Steve Santini

Atame 21 Apr 2009

#60

Well, I think Andy's cuff it is a vintage original, but I am sure, if it is really made by A.Stotz.

I also have strange version of a Stotz in my collection - it is left handed, but some details are different from my other three Stotz-cuffs (two handcuffs, one leg irons). So it is possible that other companies made Stotz copies in the past.

Best regards,
Guenter (Atame)

PS: you can see my unusual Stotz here:

Unresolved image reference ↗

jbushey 21 Apr 2009

#61

HI all,
Here is another rare ER. Only known one. It's not handcuff, or leg iron,
but ER Thumbcuff. Great thread, thanks for all the lists of wants.
Good luck to all in finding one or two items from their lists this year!
Best Wishes, John Bushey

Unresolved image reference ↗

The Amazing Michael 22 Apr 2009

#62

John is your a right hand or a left hand thread??? Great little cuffs, as are all of your mini manacles. Hope to see you at Indy.

Cheers, Mike D~C/

jbushey 22 Apr 2009

#63

HI,
Mine are again unique. Left side is right-hand thread, and right
side is left-hand thread. John

holstcollection 03 May 2009

#64

John,

Extremely neat E.R. miniatures!! Did you make them yourself or was it Ian?

Lars

jbushey 03 May 2009

#65

HI Lars,
They were made by me. Although it was during that insane few weeks that
Ian and I made all the miniature cuffs. Looking forward to seeing you
next October. JOhn

holstcollection 04 May 2009

#66

Hi John,

You are really skilled, that's for sure. You also have a great master in Ian.
Yes, I remember you telling about the time when you and Ian made a great number
of miniatures.

I hope I will make it to the Convention in October and I hope to see you there.

Best, Lars

bird.adamvg 30 Jul 2021

#67

I HAVE the smits handcuff springfield mas.s patent 153174-891152 chicago

djhalfdead 30 Jul 2021

#68

Would you be able to post a picture of the cuffs you have, please? I would like to see them. Not quite sure how Smits ties into a thread with Elias Richards cuffs, though? Thanks!
-Richard Knip-