Rare and Expensive Bean Giant Handcuffs

Recently up for sale was a very rare and desirable set of Bean Giant handcuffs:

It seems that the poster was not totally aware what he had in his hands based on the general description:

NOW I CERTAINLY DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT EARLY HANDCUFFS BUT I'D SAY THAT THIS IS AN EXTRA FINE EXAMPLE. THEY ARE IN THE LEATHER CASE AND COME WITH THE ORIGINAL KEY. I TRIED THE KEY IT FITS IN BUT IT NEEDS SOME OIL AND I DID NOT FORCE IT IN ORDER TO OPEN THEM . THE CUFFS MEASURE ABOUT 6 1/2 INCHES ACROSS. I LOOKED THEM OVER CAREFULLY AND CAN FIND NO MAKER'S NAME. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF RUST HERE AND THERE ON HE SURFACE BUT I'M QUITE SURE THEY WILL CLEAN UP AND LOOK GREAT . A NICE ADDITION TO ANY LIKE COLLECTION. NO RESERVE - eBay

The information was added later as someone helpfully provided the information.

More on the handcuffs:

The Bean Giant. Few handcuffs possess the mystique of the Bean Giant. Patented by E. D. Bean on November 1, 1887 the handcuff is extraordinary in many ways. First it possessed a remarkably clean design, beautiful to look at with a wonderfully functional mechanism. Like the classic Bean it has a pair of release buttons at the top and bottom of the lock case that need to be pushed in order to lock the cuff. 

Its lock is simple, but the rigid design which holds the wrists close makes it very difficult for one to escape, even if one is holding the key. - Handcuffs.org

This set of Bean Giant Handcuffs went for the amazing sum of $2,125 (plus $31.75 in shipping.) This is the most expensive set of handcuffs I have seen auctioned.

Here is the original Patent for the Bean Giant:



Click the images to enlarge.

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