Unknown vintage Burlesque Handcuff - Leg Iron Set

Good Morning everyone,

I recently came up with this rather strange handcuff / leg iron combination. It came from the US. It is obviously not for real use, but seems to be more like a vintage burlesque or toy item. They shackles close with a turn of a small wheel. They seem rather old, with a lot of patina. I remember seeing a similar broken set somewhere on ebay sometime ago.

It seems too tiny to be used as a movie prop, but that does seem a possibility.

Does anybody know who made it, or when?

Have a good weekend,
Nils

Irons used in Masonic Lodge rituals.

The triangle shaped linkage sybolizes the pyramid.

Steve Santini

Good Morning everyone,

I recently came up with this rather strange handcuff / leg iron combination. It came from the US. It is obviously not for real use, but seems to be more like a vintage burlesque or toy item. They shackles close with a turn of a small wheel. They seem rather old, with a lot of patina. I remember seeing a similar broken set somewhere on ebay sometime ago.

It seems too tiny to be used as a movie prop, but that does seem a possibility.

Does anybody know who made it, or when?

Have a good weekend,
Nils

Click to expand...

Santini is exactly correct. The ritual is not common practice nowadays and many lodges don't have a pair anymore.

Good Morning everyone,

I recently came up with this rather strange handcuff / leg iron combination. It came from the US. It is obviously not for real use, but seems to be more like a vintage burlesque or toy item. They shackles close with a turn of a small wheel. They seem rather old, with a lot of patina. I remember seeing a similar broken set somewhere on ebay sometime ago.

It seems too tiny to be used as a movie prop, but that does seem a possibility.

Does anybody know who made it, or when?

Have a good weekend,
Nils

Click to expand...

Thank you. That makes sense, especially since the cuffs do look kind of large.

Nils

Good Morning everyone,

I recently came up with this rather strange handcuff / leg iron combination. It came from the US. It is obviously not for real use, but seems to be more like a vintage burlesque or toy item. They shackles close with a turn of a small wheel. They seem rather old, with a lot of patina. I remember seeing a similar broken set somewhere on ebay sometime ago.

It seems too tiny to be used as a movie prop, but that does seem a possibility.

Does anybody know who made it, or when?

Have a good weekend,
Nils

Click to expand...

Any ideas what era they date from, or how they were used? Bizarre.

Good Morning everyone,

I recently came up with this rather strange handcuff / leg iron combination. It came from the US. It is obviously not for real use, but seems to be more like a vintage burlesque or toy item. They shackles close with a turn of a small wheel. They seem rather old, with a lot of patina. I remember seeing a similar broken set somewhere on ebay sometime ago.

It seems too tiny to be used as a movie prop, but that does seem a possibility.

Does anybody know who made it, or when?

Have a good weekend,
Nils

Click to expand...

HI,
I have a pair of handcuffs different than these but used in Masonic lodges. I also have another unusual set of handcuffs and leg irons
which I believe were used by the Masons or another fraternal organization. I'll try to take photos and post soon.
Very interesting! John