Cuff of the Day for April 29. Bottlenecks.

Everyone likes bottlenecks, particularly collectors in California and Sweden.  So today let us have a look at them.
Since my Marlins are not so shiny I will start things off, with a cuff from that other bottle company, Caveney.

Joe

Joe, a spectacular looking Caveney Invention Company cuff.  The brass locks are unusual.  I have a stone cold mint one but the locks are plated.
I love the contrast!
Yes, the bottlenecks are way on top as far as appearance is concerned.  Lars would say that the Finnish cuffs are better looking, so I will offer that bottlenecks are tops in US cuffs.
The first model Marlin had their date on the front of the lock and had larger rings.  2nd model and newer versions had the dat on the sides.
I have posted these pics previously but since we are hitting the bottle now, I will post again.

The leg iron version is not an easy one to come by.  Very happy that it came back to me.

The Bottlenecks are for sure one of my favorite cuffs. The design is beautiful and the quality is among the very best with separable locks for service and repair.

Marlin, thick bottle plated
Marlin, thin bottle with round links and unplated
Marlin, thin bottle unplated
Marlin, thin bottle plated
Caveney

Missing the first model with potatoe shaped links and both versions of the rare leg irons

                                                   This Marlin Daley has a very unusual dog bone linkage.

One of the Marlin Bottleneck cuffs I have I believe were from The Canadian Military Police. They are marked 13 and key which looks original is also marked 13 but it does not have the two small side bits on it. The Broad Arrow marking is in a C which I was told means Canadian?

This pair of Caveney Bottlenecks came way of a movie prop auction there fixed for quick release not sure if a prop man or an ecsape artist fixed them who ever did it really did a nice job though

Chris, I have the same stamping on my regular plated set.

Lars

In my previous posting, I mentioned the big bottle leg irons. I can't remember from where I got this photo but maybe from Joe Tanner.
BTW; anybody in contact with Tanner nowadays? The handcuffs in the photo seems to have got the bows cut off.
 
I'm sure Gordon has a set...
 
Lars

I talk to Joe very occasionally.
In the day I spoke to him often.
He is well and still sells on eBay.
He saw these Leg Irons in a museum and tried for years to buy them.
No dice!

So you guys thought that the Bottleneck discussion was over since Marlin and Caveney was pretty much covered.
Here is a non locking movie or theater cuff.
The bows are friction locked.  The only moving part is the swivel.

Does this one count?
It does have a bottleneck.

Mark - I could use a case. 

Hello everyone.   Was wondering if anyone knows if the later model Marlin Daley Bottleneck Swivel Handcuffs non plated in iron are being reproduced these days in India?  I saw a pair for sale with key which is heavily patina'd  (being iron and not plated finish)  - but they are not marked in any fashion which is a bit of a red flag for me as is the fact that they are non plated examples.  

The ones that I have seen here in Canada have always had the Canadian War Dept broad arrow C markings on them for use by the Canadian Provost Corps but I understand that the CNR Railway Police also used them but they were also marked as were the RCMP or early Provincial police examples I have seen.

If anyone could tell me if they are aware of any repro's from India out there I would sure appreciate it. 

I am a retired Canadian Police Officer and my antique police collection is going to be donated  in later years to my old Dept and another police museum for their collections.  I would think that these bottleneck cuffs are a bit too complicated compared to standard Hiatts to knock off but???

Stay well and healthy everyone - and thank you for any information.    Bruce T.

Bruce, in 25 years collecting, i have never come across a knock-off Marlin Bottleneck Cuff. The only copy I have seen of them is the Caveney Bottleneck style cuffs that came out in 1910. But, the Caveneys, used a screw type key, instead of the split fork key. Hopefully, we will have others weigh in on this topic.
-Richard Knip-

Thanks Richard for your kind reply!  I felt that these style Marlin Bottleneck cuffs would certainly be harder to reproduce than the knock off Darby cuffs floating around for sale these days.  No markings at all and an unplated finish always made me feel a little unsure.  So glad that someone like yourself with far more knowledge and experience in this area of collecting hasn't seen them being reproduced.  

Like you mentioned the key is the correct split fork type so I am sure hopeful on them as I know neither of the departments I have in mind for my future donation have a pair in their collection.   I have attached a photo of them.  

142bravo wrote: ↑

Aug 03, 2020

.  No markings at all 

The stamping is on the circumference of the cap with the keyhole (escutcheon LOL)

They look 100% legit to me. Also looks like they were plated once but most of it has come off. I wonder if the caps had been replaced or were never stamped. Stranger things have happened