How many of these are out there! Hiatt Nigerian Pattern

 I wonder how many of these are known in collections? -The Hiatt Nigerian Pattern!

These handcuffs fit only very small wrists, my wrists are too large to fit in them. They are for sure very odd handcuffs and I also wonder if anybody have any information about them as it would be much appreciated. Only the name; "Nigerian Pattern", rises questions.

Lars

www.sales.holstcollectiion.com

I wish I knew more about these super rare cuffs.
Were they made for Nigerian forces?
Why are they so small?
Other Hiatt cuffs were not good enough to be used that these had to be created?
Maybe they wanted something other than a screw key?

I hope this blog produces some answers!

Lars, both our keys seem to be the same.
Maybe we have originals!

Can hardly look at the photo! That is the set I traded with Tom many years ago and the ones shown in Alex’s book.
I am sure at one time they were part of The Hiatt Collection as included in the auction was the Plug 8 Legirons which are probably unique and are shown in the leaflet description of the history of Hiatt.
I do know of just 2 others over here one is in poor condition and was reported as being a pair of cuffs that Houdini was challenged with in 1918! Don’t believe it and told the owner that Houdini stopped the challenge handcuff act many years earlier.
The other set belonged to an escapologist and fire eater Stromboli they are in good condition and are in a collection in the north of England.
The connection with Nigeria is possible we know Hiatt did supply cuffs to South Africa and Nigeria but think it was Dick Norman who decided to call them Nigerian pattern. As you say they are very small and quite crude compared to the Hiatt Towers DL pattern they made.

Just found the photo clearly the label is wrong as Brooke’s cuffs were the Sheffield Pattern Darby cuffs which I think he challenged Houdini with in 1904?
Just had one thought when were products marked British Made seem to think it was about 1947??

chriscuffs6 wrote: ↑

May 13, 2023

Just found the photo clearly the label is wrong as Brooke’s cuffs were the Sheffield Pattern Darby cuffs which I think he challenged Houdini with in 1904?
Just had one thought when were products marked British Made seem to think it was about 1947??

Chris, In Joe's British Handcuffs book, it says that the "British Made" stamp was added sometime in the 20th Century and Joe added (1930s?) in parenthesis to that statement. I have always understood that the "British Made" was added in the 1930s. Thats what I have always gone by.  Hope that helps.
-Richard Knip-

djhalfdead wrote: ↑

May 14, 2023

chriscuffs6 wrote: ↑

May 13, 2023

Just found the photo clearly the label is wrong as Brooke’s cuffs were the Sheffield Pattern Darby cuffs which I think he challenged Houdini with in 1904?
Just had one thought when were products marked British Made seem to think it was about 1947??

Chris, In Joe's British Handcuffs book, it says that the "British Made" stamp was added sometime in the 20th Century and Joe added (1930s?) in parenthesis to that statement. I have always understood that the "British Made" was added in the 1930s. Thats what I have always gone by.  Hope that helps.
-Richard Knip-

Click to expand...

Richard would you know if that also includes the “BRITISH “ stamps as well? Thanks, Ron J

Thanks Richard, I knew I had read a date somewhere. Would like to find out a bit more to try and get an accurate date and reason why items had their country of origin stamped on them.

Perhaps the Hiatt Nigerian Pattern...is a cousin of the extra-small darbies, that Hiatt produced?

Regarding the small Hiatt darbies - In a 1965 letter, Harry LaTrobe stated that: "....years ago, we did make some very small ones for use on natives in certain parts of Africa - where very small wrists are encountered. Handcuffs for children were never made in this country."

Needless to say, Nigeria is in West Africa.

Thanks all for your input! Sorry Chris, I couldn’t refrain from buying these cuffs when I got the opportunity. I just love them, especially with this great history. However, I really didn’t realize how rare they actually are as only four sets seem to be known in private collections.

Making an extra small handcuff for west africans with small wrists make sense, that would explain the very small size. In such case, what a great part of history these handcuffs are.

Lars

I don't want to disagree with Mr. LaTrobe, but Hiatt made a size 0 Darby for use inside the UK. I posted them to the forum in November of 2021. Inside they measure 1 & 1/2 inches between the clevis and lock tube and 2 inches wide in the opposite direction. They're so small that they must have been made for use on children. They're marked by Hiatt, Liverpool Borough Gaol. The Gaol was in use between 1811 to 1855. I doubt that they're from as early as 1811, but they were definitely made sometime prior to 1855.
Here is a link to the old post.
Hiatt liverpool borough gaol darby s

thenarsian wrote: ↑

May 15, 2023

I don't want to disagree with Mr. LaTrobe, but Hiatt made a size 0 Darby for use inside the UK. I posted them to the forum in November of 2021. Inside they measure 1 & 1/2 inches between the clevis and lock tube and 2 inches wide in the opposite direction. They're so small that they must have been made for use on children. They're marked by Hiatt, Liverpool Borough Gaol. The Gaol was in use between 1811 to 1855. I doubt that they're from as early as 1811, but they were definitely made sometime prior to 1855.
Here is a link to the old post.
Hiatt liverpool borough gaol darby s

Is there possibility, that size 0 is sample / representation piece for salesmen?

No possibility of it being a salesman sample. Take a look at the link posted below. There are plenty of pictures. It's not a modern cuff, it's an antique from the early 19th century that's marked Hiatt. Also marked Liverpool Borough Gaol. That Gaol was open from 1811 to 1855. I don't think that Mr. LaTrobe was lying, I just think that he was mistaken.

Hiatt liverpool borough gaol darby s

thenarsian wrote: ↑

May 15, 2023

No possibility of it being a salesman sample. Take a look at the link posted below. There are plenty of pictures. It's not a modern cuff, it's an antique from the early 19th century that's marked Hiatt. Also marked Liverpool Borough Gaol. That Gaol was open from 1811 to 1855. I don't think that Mr. LaTrobe was lying, I just think that he was mistaken.

Hiatt liverpool borough gaol darby s

Ok. About 20 yaers ago I saw in London, Camden area, salesman leather quite small briefcase, which opened flat and there was place for three cuffs, two pair was in case, one missing, and also place for documents. Those two which exist in case were Darby style and very small. I thougt to buy it, but that time the price scared, so I give up plans of buying it.

Remember that Hiatt darbies are hand wrought. Only the lock tubes are cast. I have small examples from South Africa where many locals were smaller, with thinner wrists. Hiatt 'special orders' would not be that difficult to make, whether you wanted a longer chain, special engraving or stamping, or smaller or larger sizes. If a zero stamping indicates size, it would not be a standard size and is more likely a 'special order'.

Hey Paul,

I'm sure that you are correct about them being a special order at size zero. If they weren't a "special order size" then there would be more of them in existence today. 
The markings are for a specific Gaol or Prison. In the 1700s through the early 1800s, they were still hanging child pickpockets in England, so I doubt that they had any qualms about putting child pickpockets in handcuffs.