Vintage LONDON "NIPPER" HANDCUFF

I always enjoy eBay listings particularly when the dealer has no clue what they are selling.

Check out item #3979336230

It is a Bull Nose leader, not a nipper.

Joe

Dear Joe,

From me to the seller of the item at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 3979336230: "This is a bovine (bull) nose leader, and has nought to do with police equipment or use on humans. Thought you might want to know."

The seller's response: "I am afraid we would beg to differ having sold a couple of nippers in the past and having had expert handcuff collector advice, but thank you for your 1st of a few expected comments."

I have no idea to what she refers when she states, "your 1st of a few expected comments," being unaware of having contacted her previously or of her having expectations of me, either to comment upon her auctions or in any other way. Then again, I have no idea to what she refers when she claims to have "had expert handcuff collector advice", then proves how impenetrable, resilient and tenacious ignorance too often is.

Cheers,

Jack

I always enjoy eBay listings particularly when the dealer has no clue what they are selling.

Check out item #3979336230

It is a Bull Nose leader, not a nipper.

Joe

joe, if she only knew who she was talking to....I think that if I received that kind of message in response to an item that I obviously knew nothing about, I would want to know who I was talking to and what their credentials were before I blew them off. I hope that her "expert" does not advise her on all of her bid items. All the best, Mike

I always enjoy eBay listings particularly when the dealer has no clue what they are selling.

Check out item #3979336230

It is a Bull Nose leader, not a nipper.

Joe

Maybe ignorance or just don't give a damn and since "Police Nippers" are more popular that a Bull Lead and brings in more money... As I have heard and have told others myself, it is about the money and just follow the trail...

-Dorson

I always enjoy eBay listings particularly when the dealer has no clue what they are selling.

Check out item #3979336230

It is a Bull Nose leader, not a nipper.

Joe

...but this is a real McCoy, isn't it?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :B:BN:US:1

I always enjoy eBay listings particularly when the dealer has no clue what they are selling.

Check out item #3979336230

It is a Bull Nose leader, not a nipper.

Joe

Indeed these are a REAL come-along, patented in the 1870. Till today I thought I owned the only example of them out there!

http://blacksteel.com/hcs/index.cgi?sec ... t=8&mode=1

I always enjoy eBay listings particularly when the dealer has no clue what they are selling.

Check out item #3979336230

It is a Bull Nose leader, not a nipper.

Joe

Hello,

The one to which Anonymous refers, currently being auctioned on eBay, and the one in Yossie's collection are on one of the highest rungs, if not the highest rung, of the come along ladder.

Here is what one of the foremost experts on American police restraints, and the author of the two books on the subject, Matt Forte, wrote me a couple of days ago: "Those are really rare nippers. Invented in 1870 by Lutz, Royce, Trenor and Chadwick (Ohio). I have only seen one other pair, and that one within the last year or so."

This is perhaps as far a cry away from a bull nose leader as one can get.

Cheers,

Jack