Going to London - Ideas?

This may be slightly off-topic, but here it goes.

I'll be spending a prolongued weekend in London in April with two buddies.

Is there any particular place, market or shop to browse for antique restraints?

Any recommendations for sightseeing? Definitely planning to see the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast. Not sure about the London Dungeon.

Thank you,
Nils

my handcuffs and fetter collection is now for sale. It includes about 150 items from everywhere in the world. At the moment they are in the exhibition in Finland Tampere at Spy Museum (www.vakoilumuseo.fi) untill the end of April. I'll take offers from wholeness and after exhibition the biggest offer will win, if it sensible.

This may be slightly off-topic, but here it goes.

I'll be spending a prolongued weekend in London in April with two buddies.

Is there any particular place, market or shop to browse for antique restraints?

Any recommendations for sightseeing? Definitely planning to see the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast. Not sure about the London Dungeon.

Thank you,
Nils

Hi Nils,

last time I was in London (about 15 years ago), there was a military market at the "Angel Arcade". I was lucky to pick up three darbies there for a fair price. It was a kind of flea market, so you will have to find out when it takes place.

Have a nice trip!

Best,

Michael

This may be slightly off-topic, but here it goes.

I'll be spending a prolongued weekend in London in April with two buddies.

Is there any particular place, market or shop to browse for antique restraints?

Any recommendations for sightseeing? Definitely planning to see the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast. Not sure about the London Dungeon.

Thank you,
Nils

There used to be a big antiques "fleamarket" type event weekly in Southwark, but I don't remember which day of the week. I did see a few odd pair of Darbies there, but it was primarily just general antiques.

This may be slightly off-topic, but here it goes.

I'll be spending a prolongued weekend in London in April with two buddies.

Is there any particular place, market or shop to browse for antique restraints?

Any recommendations for sightseeing? Definitely planning to see the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast. Not sure about the London Dungeon.

Thank you,
Nils

Hi Nils

I am sure you will have a great time when you visit London, I noticed that you mentionned The London Dungeon, well it has changed considerably since it was originally opened in about 1970. Interestingly enough at the UKEA meeting last week we had Nick Janson as the guest speaker and he officially opened the Museum by performing an escape from a Gibbet cage suspended in the air - several of us tried this last weekend and had great fun - I still have the marks on my wrists!!

As I said it has changed over the past 40 years, when I was a partner with Maurice and we ran 'Fetters' we supplied about 30 reproduction items to a dealer called Mike Ross who ran a company called 'Military Marine' in Kent. Little did we know that he subsequently sold many items to the London Dungeon as authentic and it always ammused me when visiting the dungeon to see our copies displayed in various scenes. It was probably about 5 years ago when the museum was revamped to make it more entertaining and certainly it has worked - suggest you book a ticket on line to avoid the queues. They now have several actors who entertain you and show you around various London Victorian scenes such as Sweeney Todd and Jack The Ripper etc. The final part is the best of all and unless you have done parachute jumps like me will be photographed with a look of horror on your face!!

Fairly close to the London Dungeon is The Clink Prison, think it costs £5- entry - not really worth it as again most of the items are repro. but they do have a very nice set of really heavy Plug chain connected leg-irons in a cabinet and a couple of authentic Bilboe type cuffs.

Regarding markets as we all know it is the luck of the draw, how many times have we asked a dealer 'do you have any old handcuffs or legirons' and they reply 'had some last week but nothing at the moment'!!

Have fun.

Chris Gower

This may be slightly off-topic, but here it goes.

I'll be spending a prolongued weekend in London in April with two buddies.

Is there any particular place, market or shop to browse for antique restraints?

Any recommendations for sightseeing? Definitely planning to see the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast. Not sure about the London Dungeon.

Thank you,
Nils

Hello,
interesting for lock collectors:

Bramah Security Centres LtdBramah Security Centres Ltd
31 Oldbury Place
London W1U 5PT
http://www.bramah.co.uk/

It is located near Madame Tussauds in Marylebone Road, Subway Baker Street. It is best, to look at google maps satelite view because it is difficult to find, it is a very small street. Bramah makes its famous Bramah locks for more than 200 years and you can still buy them. The locks are pretty secure, they are very diffcult to pick, special tools are needed. It is a very small shop. The famous lock 50 years on display offering a huge reward for the man opening it without key and without distroying it can be seen in the science museum (free entrence). It was opened by Mr Hobbs after ca. 50 years during world fair, he needed several days until he opened it. Today a Bramah lock is still more secure than most cheaper standard cylinder locks.

I have seen the biggest "flea market" in London, Camden Town. But i have not seen some cuffs or locks for sale, but a lot of stands have closed because i have not been there at weekends. Weekends it is extremly full, be careful of pickpockets. Look for information in www before, Camden Town is divided in several areas, it is huge. A lot of shops are very funny to have a look at...

Best regards

This may be slightly off-topic, but here it goes.

I'll be spending a prolongued weekend in London in April with two buddies.

Is there any particular place, market or shop to browse for antique restraints?

Any recommendations for sightseeing? Definitely planning to see the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast. Not sure about the London Dungeon.

Thank you,
Nils

Thank you for all your advice! Pickpockets is a good reminder, Andy.


Nils

This may be slightly off-topic, but here it goes.

I'll be spending a prolongued weekend in London in April with two buddies.

Is there any particular place, market or shop to browse for antique restraints?

Any recommendations for sightseeing? Definitely planning to see the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast. Not sure about the London Dungeon.

Thank you,
Nils

Bramah Locks seems a good idea, but you will not get past the very small display area. I am a Master Locksmith, and not even I could get a look in the workshop. They make very high security locks, and have very strict rules about who goes where, and I know Jeremy Bramah very well!

There are no antique Bramah locks on display, just a few boards showing the current production models. The main manufacturing factory is now outside London.

The Science Museum has the original Bramah Padlock that Hobbs picked open in the challenge, but that is in a very large cabinet along with lots of other stuff, so you can't get very close.

There are some nice lock displays and "hands on" items in the basement though, so you might find that interesting.