Key Question

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

There is enough material written here that should allow you to see what the original keys look like for a particular cuff. Between all the collectors and historians, there is a wealth of information on this topic.
The Palmer cuffs seem to be the exception. To my knowledge, no one can identify what the key looked like.
Almost every other cuff can be found with original keys.
You should feel free to post a picture of your keys and should expect a reply in reasonable time.
Maybe others will post pictures of their originals here.
Even better, maybe a section can be devoted to this subject.
I always wanted to have a pictorial on original boxes too.

mark
O--O

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Thanks Mark but I still don't see how u can really know that the key is original if you were not the one who originally purchased
it .how would u ever know if it was switched with another identical key from that time period.

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Original handcuff keys are those which appear to be the same key for a particular cuff from researching various handcuff collector items.

As manufactures designed their own key shapes and used their manufactring method , they appear different to key blank manufactures keys.
Eg. Tower, cast key, retangular head for leg iron, oval head for handcuff.

There are hundreds of key blank catalogues in which you can see the brand and type of keys that sometimes appears as handcuff keys. taylor lock company actually produced a range of keys just for handcuff and these had numbers on the head.

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Mike,

I am not sure if I am understanding.
An original key would have a specific look and would be made to operate the cuff perfectly.
There are many law enforcement supply catalogs or patent papers that show what the key looked like on a particular cuff.
The cuff manufacturers did not always manufacture the keys either. They often sublet the keys to another key manufacturer to their exact specifications.
These records can offer the collector an insight to what the original keys looked like. The boxes that the cuffs came in are ornate enough and in many cases, show the key.

If 20 collectors all had a particular kind of cuff and all came with identical keys, we would have to assume that each key is an original. There was a discussion some time ago about Bockin cuffs. Enough people all had the same key for their cuffs, so it virtually became fact that these keys they had were the matching or original keys supplied with the cuffs.

Experienced collectors just know what these keys look like and can usually tell an original from a copy or fabricated key.

Your question may ask if an original key was original to an exact set of cuffs, meaning was this key actually the EXACT key that came in the box with the handcuffs? If this was your question, then it may be impossible to know this for sure and it really wouldn't matter. If a pair of Caveny's were sold and it came with an original Caveny key, one would assume that the cuff still has an original key. (as long as it not aftermarket)

I will post some unusual original keys in a while. I invite others to do the same.



mark
O--O

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

which bit don't you understand? you seem to have nailed it.

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Here is a small sampling of some original keys.



1. Judd or Maltby
2. Marlin
3. Tower Bean
4. Walden Tool (Stamped metal and rolled)
5. Tower Handcuff
6. Mattatuck
7. H & R Super
8. Tower Leg Iron (unfinished Casting)

Maybe others will post some rare originals.

mark
O--O

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Thanks again mark
I understand the key may be original to the time period but no one will ever know if the key was the original from the box .
And I'm sure most people are satisfied with a time period key.
But technically u will never now if it is original from that exact cuff box unless u purchased it.

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Here are a few more original handcuff keys.

?t=1411207468

1. Tower Bottom key
2. Carberry
3. Cumming
4. Bean (Prison, Patrolman and Detective)
5. Mühlenfeld
6. Hugo Stanley
7. Kakola
8. Rankin/Delestatius

/Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Nice keys, Lars!

While all are historically significant, being a horology enthusiast, I found the crossbreeding of clockmaker and locksmith in the Hugo Stanley model most interesting.

Rare birds indeed...

Regards,
Jason

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Thanks you Jason!

Yes, the Hugo Stanley are at least say interesting and the locks are high precision locks.
A clock maker is used to work with low mechanical tolerances.

Cheers,

Lars

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Mike,
I agree that any Marlin (or any other manufacturer) key supplied with a pair of cuffs will never be positively paired with that exact cuff.
I don't think anyone would really care.
When I purchase a vintage cuff and it comes with an original key from the manufacturer, I would be agreeable to pay something as a bonus for the set. I give no thought if it were the exact keys supplied with the cuffs at the original date of purchase.
As I eluded to above, the keys usually come shipped from a key maker and once the cuff come off the line, a worker grabs a key or two from the crate, tests the cuffs with it/them and packs the cuffs for sale.
Knowing if that key is that key or a different key is of little benefit.
An exception might be on Hungarian cuffs or others where the cuffs and the key is stamped with a number. It is a plus when they match.

Lars,

I beg to differ on your Carberry key.
Mine is what is shown in their patent papers, minus the heart shaped bow.
It could be possible that they changed design but as they did not make these for very long, I think you have a nice aftermarket key. Yours doesn't even have a # 37.



mark
O--O

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

The Hugo Stanley is an unusual cuff.
Among the finest lock mechanisms of all the cuffs I have ever worked on.
Over the top really, for a handcuff.

I have this one for sale or trade if anyone is interested;





mark
O--O

Hugo Stanley handcuffs are beautifully made and finished.

During WWII it was hard to get handcuffs for defence force, so Finnish defence force ordered Handcuffs from Hugo Stanleys Clock Factory. Factory was relatively small, about 10 workers and it was located in Lahti, Kymenkatu 5 was the address.

Stanley manufactured also diffirend kind of precision instruments for defence forces.

It was told that about 1000 cuffs were made, but lowest number met is 102 and highest 1477. So probably the amount of handcuffs is higher than 1000 pcs.

After WWII part of cuffs were send to police forces and prison authority.
At my knowledge, police forces or prison autorities never ordered handcuffs from Stanley,
so all cuffs at their usage were from defence forces.

Among Stanleys son (Oswald), the cuffs were packed in small green carton boxes.

The key is similar than Konepaja Voima or Heteka handcuffs. Also H & R works fine.

I have written now some pages personal history of Hugo Stanley, got some photoes etc.

If you have any more info, photoes, handcuff serial numbers etc. let me know!

mika@taikaa.com

www.taikaa.com

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

A lot of people on Etsy seem to get curio cabinet keys mixed up with antique handcuff keys

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

they aren't getting the keys mixed up, they just don't know and don't care to find out first. (typical of people in general)

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

Hello Mika,

I tried to send you an email but you seem to have problems with you email as I got a
server error. Also your web site can be accessed.

If you have another email account, please send me an email to, lars@holstcollection.com

Regards,

Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Hi I have a question sometimes people ask me when I sell them antique cuffs if the key that it comes with is the original key.
I was not alive when this Handcuff was produced so how could I ever know if that was the original
. The person I bought it from told me it was the original key but that doesn't mean much to me
How would you ever get evidence that this is the original key can u test the metal.

If anyone would like to add this rare cuff to their collection, I have 2 Hugo Stanley cuffs for sale/trade.

One came from the Ray McKee collection and the other from the Stan Willis collection.
Neither have their original keys but they work great and the Willis cuff is more minty than the other one.
The Willis one is pictured in the Sept. 2014 post above.

I would prefer to trade.


Mark
O--O