The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Storing and Display Collections

15 visible archived posts · 15 preserved total · topic ID 3193

Damon Shields 09 Sep 2009

Storing and displaying a handcuff collection seems to be a never ending work in progress. Some time ago there was a posting about some used map or drafting cabinets which got me looking here in Michigan. What I came up with was three good sized cabinets. OK --two good sized cabinets and one really big cabinet. Enough storage space for the next 10 years anyway.

The two identical cabinets are 40 " tall x 34" wide x 25" deep. Each cabinet has 25 one inch deep drawers and as well as an external locking slide that requires a small padlock. I got both for $110 each. The drawers have metal to metal slides, a concern at first but they move fine. You can easily get between nine and twelve handcufss per drawer.(About half with leg irons.)

The really big cabinet is 37" tall x 54"wide x 42" deep. This beast was just over $200. There are eight drawers in this cabinet. Five drawers are 2.25 inches deep and three drawers are 4.25 inches deep. The drawers are on ball bearing slides and are very easy to move. The larger drawers in this cabinet will allow you to store the larger items that won't fit in a cabinet with narrow drawers.(Each of these drawers is like having a large wall display. Great for an entire company line of cuffs and leg irons.)

I repainted all three with grey enamel (3 coats) and used a roller instead of trying to spray paint in a fairly closed in area. Painting the drawer fronts is a royal pain. There is no easy way except to take your time.

None of the cabinets had any major damage or dents. I did have to replace a couple of handles. I made wood platforms with wheels for all three so when I finish my basement they can be moved as needed. Just a word of caution. Each one of these cabinets weigh about 350 lbs empty!! Mine had to go to the basement. Even without the drawers it is a load.

I also made a Houdini handcuff display using a framed poster and a shadow box. The handcuffs are from Ian McColl. I have a lot more pictures of this display on my web site athttp://www.ushandcuffs.com/Houdini.html.

The bottom line is that this is a great time to find some nice storage cabinets at a fraction of their original cost.

Damon
ushandcuffs.com

The Amazing Michael 10 Sep 2009

Very nice display Damon! Thanks for sharing!!!

Cheers, Mike D~C/

holstcollection 10 Sep 2009

Damon,

It's a great Houdini display and your cabinets are superb.
I especially like the special gray "Handcuff collecting" color nuance to them .

Lars

Unresolved image reference ↗

Michael Busch 10 Sep 2009

Hi Damon,

your cabinets and displays are great! It is very nice to have the cuffs "unfolded" in the drawers. I only have one cabinet with 10 drawers, but use it more for storing than displaying. Actually, the thing is rather stuffed most of the cuffs are folded, but I have no space for another cabinet.

Best wishes, see you in Ontario,

Michael

Paul Reardon 10 Sep 2009

Very, very nice!

Elliot Cutler 18 Sep 2009

Your collection of Houdini cuffs is missing Ian's Giteu. If you were looking for one I can help. Drop me a line or I'll see you in Ontario.

Elliot

Plungerman@earthlink.net

Edri 21 Sep 2009

Damon,

My question isnt about the cabinets, but the mitts in your display case. Might I ask as to how/when you aquired them? If I look closely at the picture I notice a smallish dent/crease in the left thumb nearish the base, any chance of a closeup of that area? Could you tell me what history you know of them?

The reason I ask is there was a pair of similar mitts that were lost/stolen along with a considerable number of other restraints from a via rail cargo train in late 80's early 90's . The twenty-some restraints in the box with them represented my entire collection at the time .

The mitts have since been replaced earlier this year in fact, and dont have any particular sentimental value, however some of the restraints lost along with them were from family of mine, including a pair of Bean Giants that belonged to my grandfather which I keep an eye out for. I'd be very appreciative if you could photograph the area in question to determine if they are in fact the same pair, and if so, let me know where you got them from.

Edri

Damon Shields 21 Sep 2009

Hi Edri,

My Mitts are from the John Bushey Collection-purchased in Oct. of 2008. The dent or crease as you described it is actually three small dents.

Here is a close up of the left mitt and a general view. If there is anything else you need feel free to email me directly.

Regards,

Damon

Damon Shields 21 Sep 2009

Hi Elliot,

My thinking for the display was to exhibit handcuffs Houdini used that were not regulation or factory made. I hate to call the Guiteau a production handcuff but it was made and used before Houdini encountered it.

Regardless it is still a great cuff and Ian did a superb job.

We can talk in CA.

Thanks,

Damon

Edri 21 Sep 2009

#10

Thank you for the photo's . After looking at them I just cant be certain, the placement and type of damage is definitely right but maybe it's the lighting, or twenty years since I saw the mitts in question, but I just cant be certain they are the same ones, for one thing I remember more of a crease to the damage but again it's been a long time. If these came from John Bushey though does anyone have email or contact information for him? I'd like to find out if he purchased or was offered a set of Bean Giants with them, and if so what became of them.

Regardless of whether they are the same ones or not, please hold onto them for your collection, I've since obtained a second very good condition pair, both having originally come from the same place , the Beans though as I mentioned have more sentimental value . The mitts simply give me a clue as to what may have happened to them.

Edri

jbushey 21 Sep 2009

#11

HI Edri,
I acquired the mitts from a collection, though not a handcuff collector, about
four or five years ago. They were in the Hollywood area. The person I bought them from did not have other cuffs to my knowledge, and he acquired them from
Joe Tanner probably in the late 1980's or early to mid 90's?? He just said he got them from Joe "years ago". That's the history of this pair that
I know of. They are nickel plated, Good condition, and I, too, have replaced
the pair I had (now in Damon's collection) with another pair. John

Edri 22 Sep 2009

#12

John, Thanks so much for the reply! I spoke to Damon privately and he sent better pics...they just arent the same ones. The damage is eerily similar, but there are definitely things on that set I didnt have and other things missing that could not have been repaired/removed. The addition of the third mark should have neem my first clue.

Edri

Dutch Connection 24 Sep 2009

#13

This looks just great. Thanks for sharing!

Regards,

Dirk

http://www.dutchconnection.tk

Edri 26 Sep 2009

#14

For those of you who happen to like the " Map Drawer" idea ( which I think is great by the way) just thought I'd mention that map cabinets come up often in the Canadian Government Crown assets auction. I thought of this when I happened to be browsing htere and found several of them in a lot of office furnature. And they tend to be less expensive that what Damon paid for his.

Here's the ones I saw this morning:

http://cdbc-cadc.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/mn-e ... f=1&test=1

Regards,

Edri

Edgeplay_Cgo 27 Sep 2009

#15

The map drawers are great. I was almost able to pick up a barnfull for the cost of moving them, but the building pulled the Union bit, and they must be moved by a crew of Union building staff. That made them too expensive, so they've gone to the dump.

They would be expensive to ship unless someone has a really good freight contract.