Hugo Foth Collection

I wanted to share a few photos of my Hugo Foth collection that some of you may be interested in. Everything is in various stages of production. One of my favorite parts of this collection is the wood ball and chain casting patterns. Two of them have plates that read "UH Co.", I assume that this means Union Hardware and the other one has a "3" carved into the wood. I am familiar with the basic history of Foth, but if anyone has an extensive history, I would love to hear about it. Anyway, here are a few of the pages from my handcuff collection catalog. I wanted to mention that I am looking for Ian McColl's Mirror and Russian cuff reproductions.

Oddly enough I just purchased a Foth Lock Co Tower leg irons in the box with original keys. Thanks for sharing your collection.
Ron J

That's a great purchase. I have a pair of Foth leg irons and handcuffs (fully assembled), but neither have the box.

Joe Peninger wrote: ↑

Jul 14, 2024

That's a great purchase. I have a pair of Foth leg irons and handcuffs (fully assembled), but neither have the box.

Joe thank you. Because of this purchase I will definitely be looking for a boxed Foth Tower handcuff so I have a matching set. Ron J

Foth Lock Co.   Number 11

"F" stamping on the hinge flats


I have seen Foth Lock cuffs marked with Tower markings and with blank or no markings at all.

I have both the Union Hardware version (1 long oval link) as well as the Tower version (3 round chain) Both have the "F" markings.

I would like to know if everyone who has a Foth Lock to check and see if their examples also have the "F".
I am going to write an article about Tower cuffs with other letter markings soon.   I have a few with the letter "N" and possibly an "R".


Foth also produced the Detective or Pinkerton models too.


This exact cuff was on an eBay auction some years ago and the seller wrote this description;
"Hugo Foth assembled the Tower handcuffs for several decades, for the Union Hardware Company.  Many years ago, I visited the home of Hugo's son who, I believe had cancer.  He had a workshop with his father's machines, many old handcuffs and parts.  Since he was in failing health, he planned to send the contents of his father's shop to a scrap dealer.  I rescued these cuffs from that shop."


In October 2011, Charles Chandler wrote about his acquiring some of the Foth items, so believe the above item was sold by Charles.

"Several years ago, I believe I was leaving the Terryville Show, I decided to stop at the Union Hardware Company in Conn.  At the gate, the security people said they knew of Hugo Foth.  He had retired after making the Tower cuffs for 40-50 years.  He had lived a short distance away, but since had died.  His son lived there at the time.  I visited him and found that his Dad had built a workshop in the rear of the house.  He had moved the tooling machines etc. from Union Hardware to the workshop with the intent of making cuffs under the Foth Handcuff name.  It was completely furnished; I recall he had used the old belt drives.

Some other equipment was sold to a machinist in the Seattle area.


This  VINTAGE DELTA PEDESTAL DRILL PRESS - sold for $550.00 in or about 2017  



Hugo Jr. was in poor health and had planned on sending all the contents of the workshop to a scrap dealer the following week.  I had a problem in that I would have taken everything except that I had my family with me.  I loaded everything I could into the car. I made arrangements to have 2-3 barrels of stuff shipped to my house.  I believe I also contacted Larry Bailey, another collector from the area.  He later picked up some items, and I believe either he or I donated some to the Lock Museum.  I mentioned this experience in the Lock Collectors Newsletter which I was publishing at the time.

I have since sold virtually everything to several other collectors over the years."


On October 2011, Tom Gross in response to whether or not Foth would/could make the chain or 1 link model Tower Double Lock Cuff, wrote;

"I agree that Hugo Foth could have produced both models.  He probably could have produced any model which Union Hardware ever made.  During the 1930s the demand for the old Tower-style shackles dropped dramatically, to the point that the only employee who made them was Mr. Foth.  When that gentleman was about to retire the company said, in effect, "Oh, screw it!", and ceased production of those products, which were not selling well anyway.  Mr. Foth acquired, either as a gift or at minimal cost, all of those dies from Union Hardware.  He moved all such equipment into his garage, where he continued production under his own name, until his death in the late '90s."

In March 2017, the grandson wrote;

"My grandfather, Hugo Foth Jr. died in 1990.   His dad was also Hugo Foth.  We are selling the lathe; drill press and band saw from the shop at this time."

Hi Mark,
My Foth Lock leg irons have an "F"  stamped on them and the handcuffs I have don't have anything stamped. I wonder if he put any type of marking on the detective cuffs. I should examine all of my fully assembled cuffs. Does anyone have any idea if he produced the detective cuff in any large numbers? I don't imagine that he would have. The partially assembled detective cuffs in my collection were probably just included in everything he received from Union Hardware. Of course that is just an assumption on my part. 

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑

Jul 16, 2024

FOTH LOCK  4.jpgFoth Lock Co.   Number 11

Tower F locks.jpg"F" stamping on the hinge flats

Tower F lock.jpg
I have seen Foth Lock cuffs marked with Tower markings and with blank or no markings at all.

I have both the Union Hardware version (1 long oval link) as well as the Tower version (3 round chain) Both have the "F" markings.

I would like to know if everyone who has a Foth Lock to check and see if their examples also have the "F".
I am going to write an article about Tower cuffs with other letter markings soon.   I have a few with the letter "N" and possibly an "R".

Click to expand...

Mark I can tell you my leg irons have no markings besides the tower double lock stamps And number 50 is on the box.
Ron J

Joe Peninger wrote: ↑

Jul 16, 2024

Hi Mark,
My Foth Lock leg irons have an "F"  stamped on them and the handcuffs I have don't have anything stamped. I wonder if he put any type of marking on the detective cuffs. I should examine all of my fully assembled cuffs. Does anyone have any idea if he produced the detective cuff in any large numbers? I don't imagine that he would have. The partially assembled detective cuffs in my collection were probably just included in everything he received from Union Hardware. Of course that is just an assumption on my part. 

Hi Joe,  
Even though your "F" markings wouldn't be much different from what I have, I would love to see a pic of that stamping.
Also, you seem to have a book or ebook with all of your "Foth" items?
I was going to write an article about Foth, but don't have too much to go on.
I would be very interested in seeing every page of what you have...and so would others 

Mark,
Here are some of my other Tower's products. Some of them have letter markings and some do not. In the lower part of each photo, I have listed all markings on the item.

Hi Mark,
These are pages from my catalog, which is about 250 pages. It contains handcuffs, leg irons, thumbcuffs, restraints, jail and prison locks, and prison lock keys. My prison locks date back to the 1850's. I would love to share what I have collected over the years.

Sorry, I should have specified that it is a catalog of my collection.

Joe Peninger wrote: ↑

Jul 16, 2024

Sorry, I should have specified that it is a catalog of my collection.

Very cool.   It looks like you did an excellent job documenting it all.
I would love to get a copy if that is at all possible.

In fact, you are the only person that I ever heard from that has documented the various letters on the hinge flats.


I have a couple cuffs with the "O" markings and until now, never heard of anyone mention these letter markings, other than the "F's on Tower products in many years of collecting!

Years ago, I bought a real nice 3 handed Tower DL and was skeptical if it was factory or not.  So many unscrupulous sellers offer a cuff when one side goes bad or snaps off a key OR fraudulently adds one cuff by welding the good side onto a nice Tower to make some $$$ as sell as a 3 handed cuff.   

When I saw that mine had all "O" markings on the 3 cuffs, I was convinced that mine was the real deal.

Thanks for the information about Hugo Foth

I am generally pretty thorough when I set out to do something. I have examined and recorded every marking on all my handcuffs. I would be happy to send you a copy of my catalog. I don't think I have anywhere near the collection most people here have, but I am still proud of what I do have.

Mark,
This is a little off-topic, but you can find similar markings on the hing curve of Mattatuck handcuffs. I have some with a "0", "6", and"44"

Joe Peninger wrote: ↑

Jul 17, 2024

I am generally pretty thorough when I set out to do something. I have examined and recorded every marking on all my handcuffs. I would be happy to send you a copy of my catalog. I don't think I have anywhere near the collection most people here have, but I am still proud of what I do have.

I would be honored to add your catalog to my library.
I am sure your collection is stellar from what I can already see.
I got into this hobby when very nice items were being offered on eBay almost daily in its Golden Years.
The conventions in LA and in Europe always allowed me to add some great items and a few collectors sold off their collections for various reasons.

Collector/historian Stan Willis taught me to acquire all I could find on the subject, so your catalog would be VERY welcome.  I can learn from you and hope to share and spark other's interest on the subject.
Please let me know what costs are involved in getting a copy.

In looking over many Tower Double Locks, I have seen many variations of the letters and can assume that these were the craftsman's initial such as what is commonly agreed upon in the case of Foth.  If this is the case, Foth could have added his "F" while he worked at the Tower plant OR it could have been when he sold the models under his name at the end of production.  

I have 3 or 4 of these cuffs with the letter "N".  I sure wish I knew who or what it stands for.




This is very hard to read.  I believe it is a poorly stamped "R".

I was going to write up an article about these stampings and I hope others will check their cuffs for any other variations.
I am sure this is the first discussion about these letters, minus any examples regarding the "F".
I have a couple "N' cuffs in nice shape if anyone wishes to obtain one for their collection.  PM me if anyone is interested.

I never noticed a similar marking on Mattatucks.  I assume they are part numbers to aid in the assembly process since the cuffs were handmade and ground down to operate smoothly.
Bean Cobb or H&R used these matching numbers quite often.