The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Kimball Photos

26 visible archived posts · 26 preserved total · topic ID 5538

Joshua 15 Jan 2014

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PaulReardon 15 Jan 2014

Thanks Joshua & David...a rare treat to see. Here's another one:

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ChuckII 16 Jan 2014

Thanks Paul. I was trying to come up with a good Hank Kimball reference myself.

Well, not a good one. Actually, a pretty bad one.

Anonymous 16 Jan 2014

Hi David,

please be sure to store the key outside the cuff. Keeping it screwed in the cuff might weaken the spring. Thank you!

holstcollection 16 Jan 2014

I agree, that a good piece of advice!

Antique restraints never should be stored in a way that unnecessary tension is put to springs as they risk to faint. I store all my antique cuffs in unlocked position with open bows due to that reason.

BTW; this is a really beautiful set of handcuffs with nice stampings. Very nice design!

Lars

www.holstcollection.com

David 17 Jan 2014

Thanks Joshua for posting the Kimball handcuff photo's for me. And i love the Hank Kimball photo too. one of my old time favorite tv shows!

Mark Lyons 03 Jul 2016

I am honored to be the 4th member of the Kimball Klub.

The Kimball is the first American made cuff to receive a patent. It was believed to be a design only on paper and never actually manufactured. A dozen or more years ago, the first one surfaced. A few years later, numbers 2 and 3 appeared.
I have only seen 2 of the other 3 Kimballs and never figured on getting my hands on one, or even in them.
This 4th one, which was recently discovered, is now a significant addition to the collection.

There was some discussion generated from some previous pictures that perhaps they did not tighten up all the way or that one of the notches at the end of one of the bows were filed down or had some other repairs done to them.

I was relieved to learn that these "problems" were due to poor photo angles and the cuffs had not been closed all the way.
This pair is about a perfect as they get. The stampings are crooked but I kind of like it this way as it shows non mechanized manufacturing from eras gone by.

These are a bit more petite from what I remember and I was not able to lock them on my wrists. Coincidentally, the same day I received these, I ran into my police academy instructor who always liked it when I brought rare handcuffs to our handcuff classes. He is a small thin guy and he could not put them on either.

There was a previous discussion on this forum which asked which is the most beautiful cuff ever made and there were a few votes for the Kimball.
I think this is a strong contender.

mark
O--O

Unresolved image reference ↗

Mark Lyons 03 Jul 2016

Michael Griffin allowed me to post this pic of him with the first known Kimball.
I can see that he is in deep thought of whether to sell it or not.
He did.

He has an uncanny ability to find these things, as does Joshua.

mark
O--O

Chris Gower 04 Jul 2016

Well done Mark in adding these to your collection, they could not have gone to a better collector. Very interesting about their small size, I think several years ago Ian posted a photo with their dimensions on. This photo seems no longer available, would be good if you could repost it.

Mark Lyons 05 Jul 2016

#10

Thank you Chris,

I save pics of nice cuffs when I see them.

I do not recall seeing any which has the dimensions on them.
It is possible the pic below had the added information in another version.
It looks like a very nice pair and the key does not have a hole for a key chain.
The owner of this pair is fortunate that the key is still paired with the cuff as it could have easily been lost without securing it to the cuff.

If you are anyone else is interested, I could supply the dimensions.

Mark
O-O

Mark Lyons 23 Jul 2016

#11

I just found this photo in my photo library.

Do we know if this is one of the 4 known Kimballs?
I have an idea of who might own this. This picture was copied off the internet a long time ago and not one that I snapped myself.
I won't post pictures of items from fellow collectors without their permission.

mark
O--O

Chris Gower 24 Jul 2016

#12

I seem to remember this picture from many years ago. It was sent to me by Ray McKee shortly after he bought the Houston Bar cuff which he told me was the most expensive item he had ever bought. He did not mention the Kimball or make any mention about possibly obtaining it. I was very interested to see the Mike Griffin photo, the Russuan Tsar cuff is now in my collection and Mike got it from Ray when he was selling his collection. When Ray reappeared on the collecting scene again about 10 years ago he told me a very interesting story about them!!
Chris

Mark Lyons 25 Jul 2016

#13

I know where 1 Houston is and I wonder if this could be it.
Maybe this proves the existence of another.

I would like to see a detailed pic of the Czar cuff, if you could.

PM me the story if you can. Sounds like it might not be the best idea to post it on the forum

I did receive your email and will reply when I get a break.

Mark. 0--0

holstcollection 25 Jul 2016

#14

This is an interesting thread as Ray McKee is mentioned. First, I had lots of communication with Ray during his last 8 years in life. He was one of the nicest people I’ve ever known. He gave me lots of information and helped me in several ways. I certainly miss Ray very much!

He told me the story about his first collection he sold after his wife passed. He sent me lots of photos from his amazing collection and the Houston bar cuff was included. He had so many ultra rare cuffs that it's hard to imagine. Many of them finally ended up in today’s high end collections.

However, I never got a photo of the Kimball and he also never mentioned it. Therefore I believe he never had it. The photo of the Houston is likely the one Ray had but how the Kimball turned up in the same photo is unknown to me.

Lars

P.S.

The photo below is off topic, sorry for that. I'm very happy to own one of the high end cuffs Ray had in his last collection. Our dear friend Damon kindly helped me to buy them from his daughter after Ray sadly passed.
Some of you even might remember them as they were posted on the Forum. These cuffs are one of my most dearest cuffs in the entire collection. They are not only extremely rare, they once belonged to Ray McKee!!

Mark Lyons 26 Jul 2016

#15

It is amazing to me that I had never met Ray nor have I even heard of him before the last 5 or so years.
Those that knew him should consider themselves fortunate that you had the opportunity to work and learn from him.
How even his name eluded me for so many years is very much a mystery.
I do not believe he ever posted anything on this forum.

I welcome a conversation about some of the rare cuffs he had.
I have seen and handled a very rare Houston bar cuff and may have a picture of me in it but I don't know if it is the one from the McKee collection or not.

Lars, your cuff above is certainly as rare. That is a very nice treasure you possess.
I hope to see some pics from this amazing collection.

mark
O--O

Ian mcColl 26 Jul 2016

#16

I knew Ray for almost 30 years. He was a great friend, fellow collector and cuff maker. I always got a laugh when I heard of his han made cuffs selling as if they were originals or "prototypes' That word to use when someone has no idea what they are looking at. The most noteable of his cuffs were the bell lock handcuff (with no bell), czar's cuff made of bronze, and a few mattatuck kahlke cuffs. most of these bought for more than they worth in real time and labour. If only Ray had got the money himself. Great man and sorely missed.

Mark Lyons 26 Jul 2016

#17

Sounds like Ray and Mick Hanzlik were like 2 peas in a pod.

The world was better when they were around.

mark'
O--O

Gordon 27 Jul 2016

#18

That Houston did belong to Ray McKee. Around June 1987 I got a phone call from Ray McKee. He said the boys
were talking about me,a new serious collector. He was going to be selling items and wonderd if I was interested.
Yes!of course. I started with some nice items and progresed to the high end items. Ray was also selling to other
collectors and sending out lists. The Houston went to some one else but eventually it came to me. I believe that
I got a Wisner Hoyt from him. Ray said that the Houston and Wisner were his two best pieces.
Other cuffs bought were #1-#5 Palmers. Also with the Palmers was an unknown that sort of looked like a Palmer.
It was later ID as a Baldwin.
I bought,we corresponded,we talked,I learned a lot,we were friends.
Dictionary gentleman,deinition------- example Ray McKee
Handcuffs and etc that I got from Ray are special to me. I don't believe he had much regret about selling his
collection as he needed money for his wife's medical bills.

Ian is right about Ray making some fine and sometimes interesting reproduction handcuffs.
I seem to remember seeing a repro Bell Lock handcuff with a bell that did ring some where. Anyone remember ?
Cannon's Convention ?,Indy ? Joe's list ? Help.
Gordon

John Bushey 27 Jul 2016

#19

Hi,
I have a photo of another Houston handcuff. I have found the cuff and it is still in the same collection it has been in for almost 60 years. I have been unable to purchase it but do have photos of it. To my knowledge there are only two Houston cuffs out there. Four Kimballs. And 57,251 Towers. OK, I made that last number up....
I do have 10 Bean neck collars documented, 13 Wisner Hoyts, Four extra large Romer handcuffs, and 5 Lorey combination cuffs, three in known collections, and photos of two more. Four Marlin leg irons, and Ron Spitz and I just finished an ER list of known ER's. Thanks to all for posting pics and the information shared. I will dig out photos of a few unknowns and post them soon, and perhaps someone can help ID them. Some very unusual stuff!

Best Wishes, John Bushey

Ian McColl 27 Jul 2016

#20

The only bell lock cuffs that had ringing bell were made by myself.

Fred Pittella 27 Jul 2016

#21

Gordon I believe Jay Leslie had the Bell cuffs at one of the conventions.

JPP 25 Jun 2020

#22

I've had a set of W.H.Kimball cuffs like the one above in my possession since maybe 1993, I had no idea how rare it was, and has just sat on the shelf of my barrister bookcase. Although mine has no hole in the key (for a key ring) and the W.H.KIMBALL PATENT reads just that, (No patent numbers) and is stamped on he small (Male) end of the cuff.

djhalfdead 25 Jun 2020

#23

Hey James, thanks for bringing the info over to the forums, from FaceBook. Im Richard Alan on FB, btw. With the info in this post and your "new" find, that make 5 documented pairs now! Very cool! Just wanted to get that info out to those of you on here, that may not be on the Handcuff Collector's Page on FaceBook.
-Richard Knip-

ROKSTR 25 Jun 2020

#24

Here is the pair that I have. These were rescued from a basement of a house where they had been for centuries. The Dump guys were on their way to take the "Junk" to the dump. I got in there a few hours before they arrived. This was in Portland, about an hour south of Augusta where Kimball had his shop. (These have not been counted, and I've had them since they were found around 1993-1995)

Unknown / guest 25 Jun 2020

#25

Oh and I have to add.. I have been informed to store them without the key in the cuff, and have since taken it out and opened the cuffs. They were found with the key in them so I always left it in. Though the springs still work as they were designed to.

Kimball 25 Jun 2020

#26

Beautiful set of cuffs in excellent condition.

Spencer