Three Dollar Cuffs

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Hi!
What makes you think that they are all made by the same manufacturer? Except for the general shape, there seems to be no details that would indicate a relationship between the two with lock case and the one without.
It's interesting that the cuff without lock case came from Ethiopia. This seems to strengthen the idea that the dollar cuffs originates from Italy. Ethiopia was occupied by Italy in the late 1930s and the Italian police forces most likely brought the dollar cuffs with them. When more cuffs were needed they probably had more made locally but without the more complicated lock case.

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

I really don't know who make any of the models, but the style of the design, size and construction are very similar. Ethiopia was also under Communist control during the Cold War which suggests the possibility they could be Russian design.

Ron

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

Here's 3 pair of Three Dollar Cuffs:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-PAIR-OF-KIDS- ... 3f26414d39

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

Hi Ron,

I believe the last Dollar cuff, without a lock house, is altered and once had a lock house
attached to the bow. Otherwise there would be no reason to have the ratchets on the bow as
they serve no purpose as the cuff is now.

The lock probably got broken at a time but as the rest of the cuff was working, some holes were
drilled and the little bracket was made. Now the cuff could be used again but in a more simple way.

It's not necessarily the same maker as for the two other Dollar cuffs.

Lars

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

Hi Lars, There is no sign of a previous existing lock case. The loop for the padlock is factory installed. I think this is a cheaper version of the first two. Eliminating the lock case and cutting the locking grooves across the bow is a cheaper method of construction. Also the finish is not a good as the first two models. It's sort of like the Tower Pinkerton copy fairly well made but cheaper to construct. The locking mechanism is released by lifting the the lever, like the previous models, after the padlock is removed.

Ron

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

In all honesty, I have never owned dollar handcuffs, though have heard from other cuff collectors that several pair were discovered in Austria. This revelation combined with the style of locks used leads me to the conclusion that they did indeed originate in Italy. Please compare your locks with those of these Italian Transport Handcuffs on Yossie's site.

Just my two cents...

Jason

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

Hi Jason---I don't see any similarity in the dollar cuffs and those you refer to in the referenced link.

Ron

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

Hello Ron:

The Italian Transport cuff locks utilize a key post absent in the topmost pictured Dollar cuff locks, but they do appear to share the opposing bit/lever design. Does the second set feature a key post? I own several antique padlocks that take an opposing bit style key, some with a bit post, others with a rotating disc, though I'm hard pressed to come up with many restraints utilizing this schemata. This is the reason that I thought of the transport cuffs as being the only other restraint that I know of.

Regards,
Jason

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

The top $ (pun intended) does not have a key post and uses a flat double bit key as shown in the photo. The second $ does have a key post and the double bit key can be seen.

Now I know what you were referring to in the Italian cuffs but I don't think it is enough to say the $'s are Italian.

Ron

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

Here's a set containing the key post in pristine condition on the Nautilus.it website:

http://www.thenautilus.it/Catalogo%20Ar ... ollar.html

The curator describes them as being early 20th century and quite rare.

You can bet your bottom dollar (cuffs) these would garner some serious bids on the bay.

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

The origin of these cuffs has been unknown to most collectors for years. In an earlier post, I thought they were of Russian make since the model without the locking mechanism came out of Ethiopia which was under Russian influence in the 1940's. I forgot about the Italian- Ethiopian War in the mid 1930's.

Another post suggested that these were Italian due to the type of key similar to double sided Italian transport cuffs.

I obtained three Italian cuffs from the World Police Museum, a private Italian collection owned by Antonio De Montis. One of the cuffs was a Dollar flat key and the key is original.

With this information, I believe these cuffs are of Italian make. Then I received Jean-Michel Robin's volume III where he documents the Italian police use of the cuffs. He also dates the flat key model 1945, the round key model 1950 and no mention of the third model.

There is a good possibility that the third model is from the mid 1930's with the Ethiopian connection.

Here is a picture of the original flat key:



Ron

The first two Dollar Cuffs are fairly common, but I have never before seen the third style without the lock case. I have had this in my collection for several years and had an earlier post on them. This is the first picture with all three. I think the manufacturer is the same for all three. The third model, without a key locking mechanism, is cheaply made, without the quality of the other two models, and requires a padlock to secure it. The locking end just requires a manual lifting like the other two.

I obtained the key-less model from a person several years ago in Switzerland, who said he purchased it in Ethiopia several years before he put it up for sale. Has anyone seen this model before?

Ron

Click to expand...

Congratulations Ron,

This is for sure an original key, not easy to find!

I agree about the Italian origin. Most cuffs I've seen for sale also were sold from Italy.

However, we also have to keep in mind that the Italy and Germany had a great deal of cooperation during WWII. Italy, with the leader Benito Mussolini, supported Germany during the war.
Therefore, some kind of German influence in these handcuffs can not be totally excluded. Like you, I consider these cuffs Italian anyway.

Lars

www.holstcollection.com