?Hardeen's Leg-Irons

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Here are Chris's pictures.
thanks Chris!
Joe


Brass leg irons from the Chris Gower collection.


Picture of Hardeen where such leg irons.

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Click to expand...

Hello Guys,
I don't have a scanner---on page 21 of Milbourne Christopher's "Houdini, a Pictorial Biography" isbn#0517189038, there is a picture of Hardeen holding the long link legirons. I'll see if I can get someone to scan it for me. Best, Paul

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Click to expand...

Paul

Thanks for pointing out the picture. Ian McColl scanned it for us and sent it over. Here it is.



Nice picture, nice cuff.

Joe

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Click to expand...

Hi Chris, can I have your thoughts on the cuff fastened to the long links of your leg irons in the Hardeen picture you supplied. They look to me like Kimbal cuff's.

Ian

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Click to expand...

Look like a Bean Prison or Patrolman to me.

Steve Santini

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Click to expand...

I have rescanned the original picture at much higher resolution and have decided Hardeen is using:
Heavy Plug LI with long chain connected to heavy Plug handcuffs (see the picture in the Wresch Book). This is all one piece and the central ring measures about 3 inches in diameter. On his wrists I think he has a set of Daley bottlenecks. These seem to be connected to the upper part of the long link legirons by a set of Cobb cuffs, and I agree with Steve the long chain LI are connected by either a Bean Prison or Patrolman cuff. Not too sure whether that combination would add up to 39lbs? Many thanks for the other Scan I had not seen that before so will now try and get a copy of the Christopher Book.
Chris

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Click to expand...

Hi Chris, thanks, wishfull thinking on my part.

Ian

Thought I would post this following the recent auction. Back in about 1970 I bought a wonderful set of old brass leg-irons from Davenports Magic Studio (this was in the days when they were located opposit the British Museum in London). They cost me a lot of money and I was told they were used by Houdini. Never really believed it but many years latter I came across the 'Conjurors Magazine' with the tribute edition to Hardeen after his death (July 1945 page7). The picture does show Hardeen in 39 pounds of leg-irons and certainly the long chain leg-irons he is wearing show a remarkable resemblence to the ones I bought.
The interesting thing is that in the auction which contained probably as many Hardeen owned items as Houdini items this set of leg-irons did not appear. They weigh 5lb 12oz. are solid brass with long steel links and are marked G.C.F.1882
Doubt if we will ever find out who GCF was but what are the chances they were the ones shown in the picture??

Click to expand...

I am trying to track down a Victorian Leg Iron.

This leg iron is of the type worn by Magwitch in Great Expectations (Charles Dickens). It is not a set of leg manacles on a chain or a ball and chain.

The best description is: a solid block of rectangular iron (under the sole of the foot), with a vertical frame attached to it and a clamp at the top of the frame, that clamps around the top of the calf muscle (on the lower leg).

Kind regards

Chris Irvin

Tel 00 44 (0) 7767 428042