Help
#1The Forum at Handcuffs.Org
Can anybody help with this old leg irons?
11 visible archived posts · 11 preserved total · topic ID 6538
??
#2do you have a name to be called by? nice irons.
George
#3Sorry my name is George.....
djhalfdead
#4Nice! These look to be "blacksmith made" Irons. As such, they dont have a manufacturer's name or model number or anything. They werent mass produced in a factory. Each one would have been hand made by a smith. The closest thing I have to them is a blacksmith made ball and chain with a similar style cuff and lock. My Ball and chain, dates to the late 1700s. I dont have an estimate on age of yours, George. Sorry. Maybe one of our other members will be able to help? When discussing this lock design, with a locksmith on the forum, I was told this was a very primitive lock design. It could go back, quite early? Very nice pair of Irons, you have. Do you collect, or is this something you are looking to sell?
-Richard Knip-
good old stuff
#5hi George, they are a barbed spring mechanism lock. same type used in Roman shackles, Viking padlock and many Asian locks. ie Chinese and Japanese.
George
#6Hi guys,
thank You for answers. I maybe want to sell it, but it is about price. I think it is a very rare items, I never seen other like this before. If You can find out something other information please let me knouw.....
old stuff
#7George, your item is a one of a kind in that it was blacksmith made many years ago and there is not another exactly like it but it doesn't mean its rare. There have been 100,000's of slaves and prisoners transported all over the world and there are thousands of leg irons as well. Your pair of irons look in very good order and should be worth several hundred dollars, but the worth of something comes down to how much someone else is willing to spend to get it. I wouldn't spend a dollar for a dress worn by marilyn monroe but some do. if you needs so extra cash, then sell it. If you really think you have a winner, hang on to it and wait for someone to offer you big dollars and make your dreams come true.
Worth
#8What's it worth? I'd say about $125, a little more with a key. The problem is that most collectors want a makers mark on them so they know where and when it was made. Otherwise they go in the bottom draw of unknown European/Asian/Middle Eastern one-offs. I've seen a lot of this type of stuff coming out of Bulgaria for instance.
My humble opinion.
Nils
#9Going to have to agree with Worth here.
Nils
Steve Santini
#10I agree that many collectors seem to want name brand patented restraints over hand forged devices.
Especially many American collectors.
These are nice irons but certainly below the $250 range.
Cheers, Steve Santini P.S. Nils, check your spam folder. I sent you some photos and they may have ended up there.
George
#11The Collector from which I have this leg irons bought them in France. It would be supposed to be court leg irons from around the time of the French Revolution.....
I found a little bit the same types:
https://www.travelblog.org/Photos/5847647
http://restraintsblog.blogspot.cz/2009/ ... s-leg.html