Neck Collars

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Fred called my attention to the interview with him at handcuffs.org. In you can see an original Hiatt collar (with caps lock) on the top left (and a Bean collar on the top right) and in you can the a tricked Hiatt darby collar on the top left. Thank you very much, Fred!

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

Hi Atame, yes the Palmer neck collar is my design, there was no Palmer original neck collar that I am aware of. I have also made 2 Romer neck collars so those who have Palmer or Romer handcuffs and leg irons could also have a matching? neck collar.

Ian

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

Hi,

Some time ago I was lucky in an ebay auction to get hold of a collar
said to be from the Derek Price collection. It certainly uses a lock
like one finds on the Darby handcuffs. I have no idea whether some
lock might have been reused, but the make looks somewhat old.

I certainly would like to know more about it.

Klaus

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

I do have a very old pair of 'Nigger' collars in my collection. They are of the Plug type and are connected by a 6 foot chain with swivel in the middle. They have the black Japanned finish to them and no makers name is visible on them. We know that Hiatt were still advertising these as late as 1907 in their catalogue - but I have never come across another set either in private collections or museums. This particular set came from a Museum in Bristol that closed in the mid 1970's and they were catalogued as Bristol Slave Neck Collars. From my history lessons I seem to recall that slavery was abolished in about 1832 over here so if we believe the label they would be pre this time. However, we all know that museums often get items wrong.
Another unusual collar I have (also sold as a slave collar) has a crude wrought band which is locked with a hammered over chain and there are 4 spikes that protrude each of which has a curved piece attached to their ends - I was told the idea being the slaves would not be able to lie down to sleep and trying to escape would also be hampered by the overall size of it.
The 3rd neck collar I have is fairly modern and made of Brass. I bought it again in the 1970's and it is almost certainly Indian in origin. I personally do not believe that Hiatt ever produced a darby type neck collar and would be interested to know whether Fred's one is marked with a genuine Hiatt stamp? The normal way of telling older Indian type Darby cuffs etc is that the plug on top of the lockcase is pressed in and then a series of small dots are punched around it to keep it in place (as compared to the standard method used by Hiatt, Froggatt etc who used Y type punch.
Hope the pictures come through okay.
Chris

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

Hi, I want to show some photos of this neck iron with the Darby type lock as well:









Cheers

Klaus

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

Well, now we have seen some real historical collars. But does anyone have an idea what they were used for after slavery was banned in USA? I can hardly think of policemen carrying neck collars to use them for arresting people. So I guess that they were they used in prisons or in asylums. What do you think?

Best regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

Prisons perhaps but probably not Asylums.

Even in the Bedlam Asylum, which was one of Olde England's most inhumane and notorious there is no record, engraved or illustrated, of the use of neck collars.

Fetters and iron waist belts yes, but collars, no.

More likely collars were used for special high security transportation needs for high risk inmates of prisons.

Steve Santini

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

The only neck collar in my collection is similar to the center picture Chris has posted of the darby type. It was made in Pakistan and is nickel plated steel. The only marking on the collar is the numbers "02". The key is marked "02" on one side and "CHICAGO HANDCUFF" on the other. As best I can find, it was marketed by the Chicago Handcuff Company as part of their prisoner transport security line.

Dear fellow collectors,

nowadays KUB and Victor-Works from Pakistan manufacture different replica neck collars made of brass or steel. Some of them are in darby-design. Moreover in an old Hiatt catalogue from 1907 (!) neck collars are listed (political highly incorrect described as "nigger collar"). The picture there shows a collar with plug-lock. Does anybody own an original vintage Hiatt collar? Or do you know, if some were really made in darby-design? Did other handcuffs manufacturer also make neck collars? And for what purpose were they made? For official police use? For prisons? For asylums? I always thought that the "official use" and manufacturing of such neck restraints in civilized (or lets better say industrialized) countries should have stopped with the beginning of the 19th century or at least with the end of the American Civil War. Is it even possible that more than 100 years ago such collars were made for "leisure activities"? I am quite sure that none of the known German handcuff-makers ever made neck collars. But how about other countries? The Palmer neck collar is an Ian McColl invention, right?

Many questions. I hope that we can gather some answers and maybe even see some pictures of historical neck collars from known manufacturers.

Regards,
Guenter aka Atame
www.atame.info

Click to expand...

Hello ALl,In the early 90's, when I was newer to collecting, I saw a very finely made darby neck collar in an antique shop in Atlanta. As I recall, it had a longer lock tube than the collar pictured above by Klaus. Though the finish was in great condition it didn't have a new or shiny "replated" look. I am fairly sure it was not any sort of reproduction. Wish I had purchased it Best, Paul