🥇 BANNER 1899 handcuffs found on Native American trade site (Northern Michigan).

[mglentz4125]

Was super excited to find these in the middle of a Native American campsite (found artifacts ranging from 1600s - 1920s). These were tangled into some cedar trees and the soil acidity was just perfect to preserve them.

Regarding the location it is in Northern Michigan (along the inner shores of Lake Michigan). Early on it was a fur trading camp with many of the usual era finds. Then if became a fish camp with net floats, lead net weights, pocket knives, etc found. The remote location found is far from the road, or town, and really has me wondering why they would be at that spot. Crazy lucky to have stumbled across them. Cheers!

 

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[iAmMike]

Damn, that's cool. What a neat find!

 

[Red-Coat]

Very cool.

They look to be the improved version of the Bean handcuff patented by Lyman H. Cobb of South Portland, Maine (granted 2nd May 1899):

There's a pair on WorthPoint here:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-bean-cobb-manacles-handcuffs-1844729801

 

[robertk]

That's awesome! Great find!

 

[Digger RJ]

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Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Nathan W]

Very cool

 

[Heavygold4me]

Once in a lifetime find there

 

[ARC]

Banner find... well done.

 

[pepperj]

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This is one very cool recovery, and certainly if it makes it up onto the Banner it certainly deserves a spot.
Wish you could provide a little more details than just the teaser on the recovery. (specific location not needed)
If this awesome piece of history could speak-it would answers a lot of questions on the details of why they were lost.
Congratulations on this rare recovery.

 

[ToddsPoint]

First cuffs I’ve seen on Tnet. Very cool!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Wow ... what a unique find - congrats !

 

[Shakakka]

The scale of those things compared to your hand is ridiculous. How could they fit around anyone's wrists? Even the skinny people of yesteryear!

Grats on the find, though!

 

[Red-Coat]

The scale of those things compared to your hand is ridiculous. How could they fit around anyone's wrists? Even the skinny people of yesteryear!

Grats on the find, though!

As I understand it those are in the fully closed position, compacted for convenience of carrying on a belt / in a pouch or whatever. The ratchet is quite long to allow a more extended position in actual use. They should be around 10 inches 'end to end'. Still look pretty uncomfortable though.

 

[jewelerguy]

there's something you don't dig every day

 

[scruggs]

Nice find!

 

[mglentz4125]

Very cool.

They look to be the improved version of the Bean handcuff patented by Lyman H. Cobb of South Portland, Maine (granted 2nd May 1899):

View attachment 2107930

There's a pair on WorthPoint here:

View attachment 2107929
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-bean-cobb-manacles-handcuffs-1844729801

Holy wow!! Thank you for providing!

 

[mglentz4125]

Once in a lifetime find there

It was a bucket-lister that was too crazy to even consider possible that it never even made it on to the bucket list!

 

[mglentz4125]

The scale of those things compared to your hand is ridiculous. How could they fit around anyone's wrists? Even the skinny people of yesteryear!

Grats on the find, though!

I hear ya. It would be a crazy speculation but suspect these were dropped (removed) close to when Native American children were being extracted from villages and sent to the boarding school in Harbor Springs MI. I did find them on a Native American camp site. Highly speculative but plausible.

 

[TORRERO]

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Only in my wildest fantasies would I think to find something like that... But they look kinda small, maybe for a child ?

 

[TORRERO]

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I've never voted BANNER for anything, but I did for this, if nothing else so that others can see them BANNER !!