Mystery Houdini handcuff

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

Is it just me, or do they seem to look like the cuffs in the poster for the Russian carette, which look like two huge cans of soup under the bow arms. Closest image I can find.

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

Yeah, you know, these do look like the cuffs in that poster. I always thought those were strange looking too.

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

Contain a "Scandinavian" padlock type mechanism comprised of rotating discs. In fact, they are actually scaled up padlocks with solid cast lock bodies and connector.

Currently, they reside in David Copperfield's collection.

Steve Santini

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

I think it highly unlikely Bean made these.

They were more likely made by one of makers of the Scandinavian padlocks like Star or Climax or even perhaps Romer.

S.S.

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

The "Russian Hancuffs" illustrated in the Houdini "Carette" escape poster are very different from these. The ones in the poster are in fact large "Siberian Cell" padlocks (A name Houdini gave them). In typical form, Houdini had them exagerated in size for the poster to make them appear more impossible to escape.

The Siberian Cell padlocks Houdini is wearing as cuffs operate by means of a screw key mechanism. The Scandi lock mechanism is very different and works with rotating discs. It is far more secure than a screw key lock.

S.S.

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

Houdini and Captain Bean were friends. Bean lived in Chelsea, a suburb of Boston.
He was still alive when Houdini "escaped" from what I will call the "Bean Supercuff."
The fact that the locks may have been imported does not preclude Bean utilizing them in creating this cuff.
On the other hand, Captain Bean died, as I recall, Dec. 13, 1908. I have no idea what kind of shape he might have been in when Houdini featured the cuff. It doesn't say he's going be there. I think he would have been 70.
Those are Houdini's hands in the photo.
The Carrette cuffs, with their lunch pail sized locks and the tubular bar between them only appear in that poster, but, I believe that the rendering is accurate and that the secret of the escape can be discerned by studying it.
I don't want to discuss it here, but, it's in Houdini--the Key in the sub-chapter on the Siberian Transport Van.

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

Bean, Edward D., Co. C, died Arlington, Mass., Dec. 12, 1908.

Captain Edward D. Bean, one of the best-known residents of Arlington, Mass., died at
the home of his son, Harlan B. Bean, Saturday, after an illness of several weeks. Capt.
Bean was born in Hollis, Maine, July 29, 1838. At the outbreak of the civil war he was
among the first to offer his services and enlisted with Company C, Second New Hamp-
shire regiment. He served with distinction, and when he was mustered out, December
19, 1865, he had the rank of captain. He was at Bull Run and Gettysburg. At Gettys-
burg he was taken prisoner, but managed to escape and get back to his regiment. He was
an engineer officer, officer of the picket, aide-de-camp to General Henry, commissary-ser-
geant, and was connected with the Freedmen's Bureau. He received honorable mention
many times.

After the war Captain Bean returned to Biddeford, where he spent some time. Later
he went to Lynn to live, but for the past twenty-three years he has lived at Arlington
Heights. The past seven years he has made his home with his son, where he died. He
was an inventor, and among the articles which bear his name are the Bean handcuffs,
twisters and various other police equipments which are in use at the present time. He
was with the John P. Lovell arms company for many years, but seven years ago he re-
tired. He was an active member of Francis Gould Post, 36, G. A. R., of Arlington. He
is survived by a wife and two sons, Harlan B. and Walter M., the latter being a resident
of Stoneham. The funeral took place yesterday. A G.A.R. service was held

Check out this post on Dean Carnegie's Magic Detective blog. An unknown pair of Bean challenge handcuffs? How have we never heard about this? Does anyone have any info on this? Pretty wild looking cuffs.

http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2011/1 ... dcuff.html

He gets things a bit wrong--but only a bit. He features the last photo of Capt. Bean in "Handcuff Secrets."
I believe what he says about the cuff being a Bean creation. I wonder if Bean created it, not to beat Houdini, but to help him?
From "Handcuff Secrets":
CAPT. E. D. BEAN
Capt. E. D. Bean, inventor of Police Restraints bearing his name. Died December 13, 1908. Capt. Bean personally gave me the reproduced photo, also facts and dates. This is the last photo of him, taken especially for this book.
The handcuff article would never be complete without introducing to our readers Capt. E. D. Bean, the inventor of almost every police equipment now in general use; also inventor of the world-famous Bean Giant Cuff; he offered $500 to anyone who could release himself from this, even with a key.
After I had gathered in the reward, it was reduced to $50, and now the cuff is looked upon as not being invincible, with the exception of certain makes that "are being used by the United States Government, and several pair now being used by my brother, Theo. Hardeen, who at present is touring Great Britain.
Captain E. D. Bean was born in Hollis, Maine, July 29, 1838. He gained his rank as captain during the Civil War in the United States, 1861-5. Was on the police department service over ten years, and during all this time worked faithfully perfecting all the restraint implements for the use of the police department, and through his efforts the handcuff became a practical police instrument.