RARE 1925 ORIGINAL MCKENZIE MITTS

A very nice example of McKenzie Mitts. Unfortunately the high opening bid resulted in no bids.

VERY VERY RARE 1925 ORIGINAL MCKENZIE MITTS PRISON HANDCUFFS LOCK PADLOCK STYLE WE HAVE A WONDERFUL AUCTION ITEM FOR SALE FRESH FROM AN OLD ESTATE THIS SET OF HAND IRONS ARE EXTREMELY RARE SO RARE THAT THERE ARE LESS THEN 40 DOCUMENTED OWNER OF THESE HANDCUFFS ONLY! AND HOUDINI OWNED A SET OF THESE RARE CUFFS AS PART OF HIS COLLECTION. ALSO THE ONLY PATENTED HANDCUFF. SOME PEOPLE CONSIDE THESE THE ULTIMATE CUFF BECAUSE OF THEIR STYLE. MAYBE NOT THE RAREST BUT MOST INTERESTING DESIGN FOR SURE SOMETHING THAT RARE IS A TRUE FIND FOR AMERICAN HISTORY! A TRUE PRIZE TO OWN AND ALSO TO BE ADDED TO THE DOCUMENTED OWNERS LIST . THIS SET IS IN WONDERFUL CONDITION SEEING THAT THEY WERE USED FOR INMATES THE METAL LOOKS TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE ALL SEAMS AND HINDGES ARE TIGHT AND OPEN AND CLOSE SNUG THE LOCKS ARE ALL IN WORKING CONDITION THE SURFACE PAINT HAS SOME DISCOLORING FROM TIME AND SOME WEAR ALL 100 PERCENT ORIGINAL CONDITION AS SHOWN EXCEPT FOR THE KEY. MARKED "PATENTED MARCH 10-25" THIS SET LOOKS TO HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE USE AND STORED INSIDE! ADDED INFO TAKEN FROM THE WEB BELOW

These are the "famous" McKenzie Mitts invented in the mid 1800s by Jacob Mackenzie. These were the first "high security" cuff ever made. The designer Mackenzie was a escort guard and was jumped by a prisoner and shot with his own gun. So he design the Mackenzie mitts. The Mitts lock around the hands and are connected by a small chain. This way a prisoner was not able to use his hands to gain access to keys or a gun. Ultimately, it proved to limit the prisoner's ability to use his hands for basic bodily hygiene (bathroom) while in transit. The guards were not allowed to remove the cuffs for the prisoner when needing the bathroom, you get the idea, the cuffs didnt go over well with the guards. Each Mitt is applied to each hand and connected by a chain. Each mitt has two locks per Mitt. The first lock, locks the Mitt on to the hand, the second is at the end of a fine chain which is used to further reduce the ability to slip out of the Mitts by locking around the wrist. The same key works on all the locks. It is nearly impossible for someone wearing these to use this key even if it were in their possession.

AN ADDED LINK FOR MORE INFO ON THE LINK BELOW FOR POLICE RESTRAINTS  http://www.policeguide.com/Police_Photo_Galleries/Police_Restraints/police_restraints.html - eBay (31 May2012)

This set of McKenzie Mitts had an opening bid of $5,250 (Plus free Shipping) but failed to attract any bidders.
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