Posted by Michael Busch on April 14, 2001 at 11:38:27:
In Reply to: Hiatts 1960s - an interesting puzzle/question. posted by Richard Jones on April 14, 2001 at 03:27:15:
Hi Richard,
from my point of view the "lightweight" 1960 cuffs (those with the shorter swinging bows) are the older ones, whereas the "heavier" cuffs were produced later.
In my collection I have a prototype 1960 cuff, which is of the "lightweight" configuration, i.e. the bows are short, the rivets ground flush, and there is a chrome-plating on the cuffs (the heavy cuffs are nickel-plated!). The only difference to other lightweight 1960 cuffs is that this pair uses a solid key (similar to early Peerless cuffs) instead of the common barrel key.
Producing a prototype only makes sense at the beginning of a production process, from my point of view, so this might be taken as a proof that the lightweight cuffs are the older ones.
In this context it may be of interest that Hiatts of Birmingham sold model 1960 handcuffs as late as 1991, a time, when the 2000 and 3000 series of handcuffs were already marketed and the 1970 and the "Hiatt the peerless handcuff" already were discontinued. Please have a look at the price list, which I received from the firm in 1991.
In the corresponding catalogue the "heavy" pattern is shown; another proof that this may be the later model.
Happy Easter holidays to everybody!
Michael