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French Collection for Sale

17 visible archived posts · 17 preserved total · topic ID 6036

Nils 30 Jan 2016

Dear fellow collectors,

I have for sale a set of these antique handcuffs and shackles from France.

1 "Guyana" Type Leg Iron, with working key.
1 "Morrocan" Type set of handcuffs, with original key.
1 set of handcuffs "Presto Lyon", long chain, with original key

All cuffs are in used condition and work fine. Note that the Presto has a small cosmetic flaw: one of the keep-open pins is no longer there. But they lock and unlock fine.

Price is $550 plus shipping (around $35 to the US, all other countries actual cost).

E-Mail me at nils(dot)krueger(at)web(dot)de.

Have a nice weekend

Nils

Mark lyons 30 Jan 2016

Hi Nils,

Hope all is well with you.

I have had the French Irons off and on for many years, but never heard them labeled as "Guyana" before.
Have you any information that they were used for transporting prisoners to that location?
I have always identified them as Transport Chains and a reference to Devils Island Leg Irons before but as I currently have 3 of these in varying sizes, I would like to know more about them, especially where exactly these were used.
They seem to be plentiful enough so I do believe that there were tons of these made and used.

Thanks

Mark
O--O

Unresolved image reference ↗

Nils 30 Jan 2016

Dear Mark,

some time ago, I asked people to guess how many cuffs were approximately made of each type. Few people dared to guess, and I think it's hard to say, for this type as for many others. I'm not sure that "a ton of these were made" is going to help with the sale, though. They are certainly not as rare as Rankins, but much rarer that Bean Cobbs or Hiatts.

The term "Guyana" came from where I believe they first appeared from a few years ago. They were of course not made under that name, but seem to have been used all over France and the colonies. But the name kind of stuck, and most people have this type in mind. Transportation shackles also works, I guess.

I can make a photo of the lockcase if that's what anyone needs. I was recently able to purchase an example of the heavier type, which I'm posting for comparison. This one has eluded me for some time.

Kind regards

Nils

Nils 30 Jan 2016

Oh, wait, I have a lock case photo of them both:

PS: Use coupon code "Guyana" for $50 off.

Mark lyons 31 Jan 2016

Oops,
I did not want to kill your sale.
While there were tons made, the question is; how many are left?
Also, if tons of these were made, mega tons were made of Towers and Beans.
Thanks for the info.

Mark
O--O

Anonymous 31 Jan 2016

Mark, how do you know there were tons made, or is this just a guess? fact is better than speculation.

Mark lyons 31 Jan 2016

I am basing my statement as a hypothesis. Let me explain;

hy·poth·e·sis. NOUN

1.a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation:
"A professional astronomer (and handcuff collector hobbyist) attacked him for popularizing an unconfirmed hypothesis"

synonyms: theory · theorem · thesis · conjecture · supposition ·
[more]
philosophy

a proposition made as a basis for reasoning, without any assumption of its truth.

So, if you are able to understand this concept, I made my statement based upon a generally accepted fact that this particular style leg iron was used to transport hundreds if not thousands of prisoners worldwide on specialty prisoner transport ships.
My hypothesis was generated by the fact that there were far more "Guyana" style leg irons manufactured to facilitate the maritime movement of these prisoners than, as an example, McKenzie Mitts. Therefore, a "ton".

Please present your evidence to disprove my hypothesis!

Mark
O--O

Anonymous 31 Jan 2016

Mark, you are wrong. Present evidence to say you are not.

Mark lyons 31 Jan 2016

Well, I speculate that you are just a run down, home grown, grain fed, Grade A idiot then!
You simply are not worth any more attention.
Case closed!

Mark
O--O

Anonymous 01 Feb 2016

#10

where in any of your statements above did you say, 'my hypothesis is". you didn't.
Only when you are asked by Nils, did you suggest a hypothesis for you comment.

no take it out on me for you being wrong.

Mark lyons 01 Feb 2016

#11

Ok
Since you are being polite, I will respond once more.
My saying that there are a "ton" of these is NOT a specific measure of quantity.
Since many collectors have at lest 1 in their collections, and that they show up on eBay and at lock shows, it is my personal belief that these were manufactured in plentiful amounts.
If I have to spell it out for you, these seem to be made by the tons, figuratively and literally.
End of discussion?

Mark
O--O

Anonymous 01 Feb 2016

#12

Okay

Nils 01 Feb 2016

#13

Mark, don't bother replying to people who post anonymously. They're not worth the trouble.

Nils

axylon 01 Feb 2016

#14

regarding the scarcity of different leg irons: I only watch eBay, but my impression is that the (Revolier?) leg irons advertised in this thread are very hard to find. I think I've seen about three of the light model advertised on the US eBay over the last 15 years, and only one of the heavy model. I think I've seen more Rankins advertised over the same time span. Offers of genuine (steel) Darbys seems to have dried up now, especially the older/heavier type. Towers seem to have increased in availability for some reason. Prices in general seem to have slowly decreased, except for the rarest items. I suspect that the advent of eBay suddenly made collecting a lot easier, so existing collectors bought all the common types enthusiastically, but now their collections are largely complete, and few new collectors are coming along to sustain buying, so driving down prices.

Nils 17 Feb 2016

#15

Price lowered.

New price $500, including shipping anywhere in the world.

Thank you!

Nils

Nils 24 Feb 2016

#16

New price: $465, including shipping anywhere in the world. These are rare cuffs.

Cheers
Nils

Nils 27 Feb 2016

#17

Now on the bay.

Nils