Hiatt Darby- Real or Not Real??? Please Help

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Here is another scanner image:

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

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Just noticed the name on the key. I emailed Dee to talk about the cuff and said the key didn't appear to be original. Then I looked again and saw the Hiatt name on the key. Any ideas? Has someone had a 'HIATT' stamp made?

Ian

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

I think someone has reshaped a Hiatt key that has the round disk brazed onto the straight shaft with the tapered end - which would not belong to these alloy cuffs. I think they are trying to make them look old than they really are.
Paul

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

I must concur; these are not the classic Hiatt handcuffs, but rather latter day reproductions of said.
Perhaps the key shape was redesigned to impart an air of authenticity.

Regards,
Jason

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

Not too sure what to make of these handcuffs. We know that Hiatt stopped producing their steel 104 and 115 pattern handcuffs about 1976 and started selling their alloy handcuffs which were cast in a nearby foundry in Baltimore Road. These cast alloy cuffs were marked HIATT on one lock case and ENGLAND on the other (these were not stampings as they are raised so were part of the original mold).
This new 104 standard pattern weighs 310 grams excluding the key which initially was a steel key with a round top - almost as if a large thick washer had simply been put on the key stem. Soon after this the keys were alloy based with a flat top to them. As far as I know none of them were ever stamped with numbers. I would be interested to know if the set of handcuffs is made of a zinc/aluminium alloy. Also noticed that the top of the lock case seems to have been asssembled like the older Hiatt ones were made with the 'Y' stampings. The newer alloy ones simply have 5 'Y' stampings to hold the plug in.
I would say that the cuffs are Hiatt made but not too convinced about the Hiatt key and as Ian said has someone made a HIATT stamp?
Chris Gower

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

I have seen a pair of these with CHUBB stamped on them, made by Hiatt but marked for the Chubb company. The darby alloy cuff had the same hinge rivet as well.

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

Here is a picture of the Chubb marked Darby.

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

Hi, thanks Joe, the one I saw was stamped on the hinge egde as is the Hiatt mark.(first cuff photo above)

Interesting.

Ian

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

Thought this is all very interesting! The cuffs weight is 328.1 grams on my jewelers scale. These cuffs used to belong to my husband who passed away in 2010. He was a real character and a collector of just about everything. He had several pairs of handcuffs that I also know nothing about. One that is pass-through, and I would hate to get someone's hands in as I would have no idea how they unlock - no key. The others are extremely old and I will probably end up selling them all at some point. I am very appreciative!

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

Forgot to say that the weight was with the key. And they do appear to be made of the chrome zinc alloy.

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

The Chubb cuffs appear to have the raised look like they were marked, but the HIATT name which is normally raised above the hinge has been removed.

Joe

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

Thanks Chris for the info about the round top steel key that was original to the early model alloy cuffs. I have learned something. So if i may summarise, these are an early model alloy Hiatt cuff with what may be an original key, in the same style as those made for Chubb. But i still think someone has reshaped the key - badly.
Paul

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

I think, this is a key



The Hiatt Darby is a original copy from old Hiatt Darby, a original potmetal repro

best Jens

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

Hey Jens , that's the same style Hiatt key used in the Titanic movie. (it ruined the whole movie for me)

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

sorry, the cuffs marks of cast.

best Jens

I recently acquired a pair of handcuffs to sell on eBay, however, after researching and reading some of the posts here, I am concerned that they may not be real.

The locks on both cuffs are in very good working order. The key turns clockwise to unlock and can be removed when in the locked position. Each cuff measures approx. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4"(woman's size?). They measure 8 3/4" in length when fully extended. The Key is 2 1/2" long. (The photos here are scanned images)

These are my concerns:
1. The letters "HIATT" stamped on each cuff are raised.
2. The word "ENGLAND" on the other side of each cuff appears to be etched and almost illegible (scratched off).
3. There are no numbers stamped on the cuffs.
4. The Hinges don't look like other photos I have seen.
5. Key is stamped HIATT on one side and 137 on the other side.


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Click to expand...

I tested the key with a refrigerator magnet and there was little to no pull, so I'd say the key is pot metal, not steel. It is heavy in weight for a key (26.4 gr.). I also tested the cuffs and noticed some very slight pull at and along the key hole, and more at the decorative ends, then quite a bit more at the hinge pins and the chain links. There was next to none on the rounded "D" shape part of the restraints.