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Any idea of age on these Hiatt darbies?

10 visible archived posts · 10 preserved total · topic ID 7586

silentbd 18 Mar 2023

Hello there.

These stood out to me because they have a very chiselled angular end on the lock tube. I don't see a bulge in the shackle from clevis insertion on the images, but the over all shape of the bows reminds me of my pair that I was told was between WW1 and WW2. They appear to have HIATT but no usual "warranted wrought" or anything. I'd appreciate any guestimations as to their age?

PaulJDavies 18 Mar 2023

I can see a W from the Warranted Wrought stamping. The bow is wrought, with clevis attached separately. I'd suggest the later timeframe.

silentbd 19 Mar 2023

Hmm I cannot detect the W. I think all my other pairs have hiatt best stamped on them. But this seemingly just says HIATT and a key number. Could you screenshot where the W is?

stevech 19 Mar 2023

Since they don't have "British Made" they date prior to around 1930 when this marking began. The "Hiatt" name is curved which also is an indication of early 20th century. I would estimate these to around the 1920s. Hope this helps.

Steve

rejones68 19 Mar 2023

stevech wrote: ↑
Mar 19, 2023
Since they don't have "British Made" they date prior to around 1930 when this marking began. The "Hiatt" name is curved which also is an indication of early 20th century. I would estimate these to around the 1920s. Hope this helps.

Steve

Sir so I’m I correct to say a straight HIATT stamp is pre 1900s? Thanks , Ron J

silentbd 19 Mar 2023

rejones68 wrote: ↑
Mar 19, 2023
stevech wrote: ↑
Mar 19, 2023
Since they don't have "British Made" they date prior to around 1930 when this marking began. The "Hiatt" name is curved which also is an indication of early 20th century. I would estimate these to around the 1920s. Hope this helps.

Steve
Sir so I’m I correct to say a straight HIATT stamp is pre 1900s? Thanks , Ron J

Not sure that is right. I think all mine are straight/un-curved. Even my late 1880s have a straight HIATT. But I think those ones in this post are going to possibly be the only one I have that do not have BEST and Warranted Wrought stamped on them. So it's making me curious.

djhalfdead 19 Mar 2023

According to Joe Lauher in his British Handcuff Book, he states that "In the 19th century the Hiatt trademarks were straight, later in the 20th century, they became curved. Later still, in the 1970s, the trademark was straightened out again. " The curved logo on your set and the lack of having the "British Made" stamp, puts your set between early 1900 up to 1930s. As far as the "Warranted" and the "Wrought", or Quality Marks, most cuffs had them, but not all did. I can kind of make out an "E" and a "D" on the end of the word "Warranted", which I circled in red for you. I think your set had the quality marks at one time but have worn away with age and patina. Not sure where Paul is seeing the "W" though?

I may be wrong on the letters Im seeing there, but there was something stamped there t some point. You can see the curved and straight lines from some of the original marks.
-Richard Knip-

silentbd 19 Mar 2023

Very interesting. I may have to check my other darbies but off the top of my head I think all of mine are straight, even the ones attributed here as being late 1800s. I was not aware a straight vs curve was a thing.

rejones68 20 Mar 2023

Richard it makes sense because my Hiatt backstrap dates around 1880 and has Hiatt in a straight line, not curved. Ron J

silentbd 21 Mar 2023

#10

djhalfdead wrote: ↑
Mar 19, 2023
According to Joe Lauher in his British Handcuff Book, he states that "In the 19th century the Hiatt trademarks were straight, later in the 20th century, they became curved. Later still, in the 1970s, the trademark was straightened out again. " The curved logo on your set and the lack of having the "British Made" stamp, puts your set between early 1900 up to 1930s. As far as the "Warranted" and the "Wrought", or Quality Marks, most cuffs had them, but not all did. I can kind of make out an "E" and a "D" on the end of the word "Warranted", which I circled in red for you. I think your set had the quality marks at one time but have worn away with age and patina. Not sure where Paul is seeing the "W" though?

I may be wrong on the letters Im seeing there, but there was something stamped there t some point. You can see the curved and straight lines from some of the original marks.
-Richard Knip-

3261206_f0fb1790ad59818690143c5341772ae1_t.jpg
Click to expand...

So they might be in the same time period as my other ones then which I was told between the world wars (attached) and my existing pair does indeed have curved HIATT stamping. I must have overlooked this as I wasn't really aware that there were differences in the way it was stamped.

The smaller image is of the pair in this original post. Are there any qualifying differences between pairs with a angular chiselled vs smoothed end-caps of the locking tubes?