Elbow Irons

I ran across this poster that is being auctioned off and noticed that the EA will be challenged to escape while "elbow ironed".
We have all seen pictures of Houdini posing with Tower Leg Irons secured above his elbows, but never seen any written reference to locking the elbows before now.

A long time ago, I actually thought some restraint manufactures made elbow irons and have since realized that there had never been such a device made for this specific use. I thought it was interesting when I saw the use of this wording on this poster.


mark
O--O

During the Vietnam war, American and Viet Cong troops often restrained captured POWs by binding the elbows behind the back.

If memory serves, I think people who make The Grip webbing restraint make a model for the elbows.

S.S.

I ran across this poster that is being auctioned off and noticed that the EA will be challenged to escape while "elbow ironed".
We have all seen pictures of Houdini posing with Tower Leg Irons secured above his elbows, but never seen any written reference to locking the elbows before now.

A long time ago, I actually thought some restraint manufactures made elbow irons and have since realized that there had never been such a device made for this specific use. I thought it was interesting when I saw the use of this wording on this poster.


mark
O--O

Click to expand...

Elbow binding has been around a long time.

It is a very secure way of binding a person because the hands cannot reach the knots or restraints fastened above the elbows.

The ancient Egyptians used to also tie captives this way.

S.S.

I ran across this poster that is being auctioned off and noticed that the EA will be challenged to escape while "elbow ironed".
We have all seen pictures of Houdini posing with Tower Leg Irons secured above his elbows, but never seen any written reference to locking the elbows before now.

A long time ago, I actually thought some restraint manufactures made elbow irons and have since realized that there had never been such a device made for this specific use. I thought it was interesting when I saw the use of this wording on this poster.


mark
O--O

Click to expand...

I have just come back from the States & while there I saw some of the Sid Radner collection on display in a few Houdini Magic Shops. One piece was what I thought to be a pair of Bean Leg Irons, but it was listed as elbow irons. The picture included was actually a picture of Houdini wearing a pair of Tower Leg Irons, but the fact that it said elbow irons might point to them being called this as they were used in this fashion, not necessarily that they were made for this purpose.

I ran across this poster that is being auctioned off and noticed that the EA will be challenged to escape while "elbow ironed".
We have all seen pictures of Houdini posing with Tower Leg Irons secured above his elbows, but never seen any written reference to locking the elbows before now.

A long time ago, I actually thought some restraint manufactures made elbow irons and have since realized that there had never been such a device made for this specific use. I thought it was interesting when I saw the use of this wording on this poster.


mark
O--O

Click to expand...

I think they were all leg irons that just happened to be used in this way.

Personally speaking, I have yet to see any old time restraint or cuff makers promo literature that offers any device purposely designed to be or called an "elbow iron."

Not from Towers, Bean, etc.

Cheers, S.S.