The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Houdini handcuffs on 'Deals From The Dark Side'

20 visible archived posts · 20 preserved total · topic ID 4729

John Cox 07 Apr 2012

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but a pair of gaffed Houdini handcuffs were on Steve Santini's 'Deals From The Dark Side'. The full episode is now on YouTube. I hadn't seen it so I posted it to my blog. Love to hear what you all think.

http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2012/04 ... to-us.html

clyde 07 Apr 2012

I did not understand how they are thought to have been houdini's ( because they are gimmic, supposedly by Frogget) is there any documentation, I do think the series is interesting and better than most reality shows. I would like to know if Mr. Santini actually bought the cuffs.

Steve Santini 08 Apr 2012

Came from the late Joseph Dunninger's collection and were owned by Houdini and then Bess and on to Dunninger after Harry died.

They then went from the hands of Dunninger's widow to a now deceased escapist/mentalist/collector who at one time had a massive lot of stuff from Dunninger's widow.

From his hands they passed to another collector/escapist and eventually into mine.

Yes, I do own them now.

It was originally the intent of the production company to fly the film crew down the USA to meet with and interview Maxine Dunninger, daughter of Joe Dunninger, but due to a tight production budget this did not materialize.

Steve Santini

Steve Santini 08 Apr 2012

It is obvious that the cuffs were gimmicked by the insertion of a weak spring when they were originally made by Thomas Froggatt at his assembly plant. They show no signs of tampering after the fact.

Well known is the fact that Froggatt and Houdini were friends and that Froggatt supplied Harry with numerous gimmicked cuffs and irons he used in his acts of escape.

Steve Santini

The Amazing Michael 08 Apr 2012

Steve, I just seen a couple episodes of your show......I didn't even realize they finally picked it up! I know it was a long time in the making. Congrats!

As to the cuffs, I agree that if they are clearly gaffed AND have not been opened up before, then we can safely assume that this was done for Houdini. We all know the story of Froggatt making cuffs for Houdini and we have never heard of him doing so for anyone else. He wouldn't just, out of the blue, make gaff cuffs for one of Houdini's competitors; Houdini would have had him killed in his sleep! lol! Also, if these cuffs were in Dunninger's collection, then we can put this to rest; Steve has an intimate knowledge of that collection and I trust his opinion on this subject.......they were Houdini's. That is far more proof that Houdini owned something than Sid Radner ever offered (remember, HE was trying to tell the handcuff community that cuffs that were clearly made after Houdini died, belonged to Houdini).

Further, I would like to invite Steve to the Indy Lock Show for a chance to make some interesting purchases for future episodes. I will bring an interesting item that has some spooky history and I am sure there will be a ton of other great buys for someone such as yourself. Need details about where and when??? E-mail me at mindhunter42 at gmail.com (*note the changed e-mail address, don't use the old hotmail address) Thanks.

Mike

Steve Santini 08 Apr 2012

For your kind words!

I would like to come to Indy but I am now a producer on another T.V. show,(not starring myself), and my time is pretty well tied up,(pardon the pun), getting that project and about a million others off the ground.

So, I will not be able to make it to Indy no matter how much I would like to go!

The Houdini handcuffs shown on that episode of "Deals" have a very good chain of custody and this is also important when trying to prove out the oral history associated with any historical relic.

Sadly, when one does T.V., one quickly learns that you are at the mercy of the editors and they, along with the writers, make the decision of what actually makes it to the screen.

Personally, if it were up to me, I would far rather have spent each half hour episode investigating only one object instead of 2, 3, or even more as I often did but alas, the decision was not mine.

We should talk on the phone one day soon.

Cheers, Steve

clyde 08 Apr 2012

Mr. Santini, your Houdini cuffs have a great provenance, thanks for the information.

The Amazing Michael 08 Apr 2012

Steve, is your number still the same?

BTW, Happy Easter.

Mike

Steve Santini 08 Apr 2012

Sure is!

Happy Easter to you and yours as well.

S.S.

Steve Santini 09 Apr 2012

#10

I don't know if any of the collectors here may be interested but my Froggatt gimmicked Houdini darby cuffs are in fact for sale.

While they are certainly very rare and historically unqiue they are not really in line with my true collecting passions these days.

Anyone seriously interested in them can contact me at bookings@thedarkmaster.com

Cheers, Steve

Paul Davies 09 Apr 2012

#11

Steve,
can you post a picture of the Froggatt end caps? Your show kept showing the Indian end caps with the round punch marks.
Just interested to see.
Paul

Ian McColl 09 Apr 2012

#12

I have a pair of Bean giants (alledged to be Houdini's) from the same source (Hou/Dun collection)

I would refer people to this thread before claiming anything.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/261154/t ... +Handcuffs

Ian

Steve Santini 09 Apr 2012

#13

Paul,

If you will kindly drop me an e mail I will send you pics of the end caps. They are flawless with no signs of tampering or removal.

bookings@thedarkmaster.com

The other thread Ian points out considered, the probability is very high these were Houdini's as they are obviously factory gimmicked at the time of manufacture.

On that note,I would be hard pressed to believe any particular Bean Giant ever belonged to Houdini unless it is one of the ones he had modified to defeat other so called "Handcuff Kings."

i.e. Altered to take a warded ky, barrel key, etc.

S.S.

Fred Pittella 09 Apr 2012

#14

I really have to give Steve a lot of credit for a job well done!!!
I just finished watching the utubes of "Deals from the Dark Side" and I was blown away!! They where very entertaining and fun to watch GREAT JOB Steve!!!

Steve Santini 09 Apr 2012

#15

For the kind words Fred.

Cheers, Steve

Anonymous3x 10 Apr 2012

#16

Congratulations Steve on a very entertaining show. Very well done.

Thanks to John Cox for posting the thread too...

Fred Pittella; 11 Apr 2012

#17

Steve no need for thanks...just wanted to say what a GREAT job on a very cool project!!!
Hope you can get a long run out of it!!!
ALL THE BEST

Steve Santini 22 Apr 2012

#18

Hello,

As many of you already know, the main thrust of my collecting efforts these days is in ancient justice and punishment devices.

Because it is quite impossible for any one person to collect everything, I have decided to offer my Houdini handcuffs for sale on ebay.

Here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0701611589

Hopefully these will find a new home with a dedicated Houdiniana collector or perhaps a restraint collector who has always wanted a Houdini cuff.

Cheers, Steve

Anonymous3x 22 Apr 2012

#19

Good luck with your sale.

John Cox 23 Apr 2012

#20

As a loose rule I try not to blog about auctions until they ended (report the results), unless it's something really special. And I think these cuffs qualify as something special. So...

http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2012/04 ... -ebay.html