Potter & Potter Auctions
Live Auction

Winter Magic Auction

Tue, Nov 19, 2019 10:30PM EST
Lot 177

Escape Artist?s Handcuff Key Collection.

Estimate: $400 - $600

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$30 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
Escape Artist?s Handcuff Key Collection. Group of approximately 30 keys with accompanying identification tags gathered by Al Borklund, the escape artist Albertus, for use with a variety of manacles and restraints. Tags presumed to be written in Albertus?s hand describe keys for a Harvard Shackle, Spanish Star Cuff, Pratt Nippers, ?Monte Carlo Chief of Police Original Key,? a key labeled ?Dr. Pierce Phila. PA,? another labeled ?Special, my invention ? this cutoff key will open both Houdini?s split key cuff, also my improvement on Houdini?s split key cuff,? and over a dozen more. Many labels bear dates of purchase and other data. A second split key for a Bean Giant in the lot bears a lengthy holographic explanation of how Houdini tripped up the escape artist, Cunning, with a ?faked up? Bean Giant, and how the split key was made by the former owner based on Cunning?s description of the incident.