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Houdiniana & Magic Memorabilia

Sat, Apr 18, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-04-18 11:00:00 2026-04-18 11:00:00 America/New_York Potter & Potter Auctions Potter & Potter Auctions : Houdiniana & Magic Memorabilia https://auction.potterauctions.com/auctions/potter-potter/houdiniana-magic-memorabilia-22204
A choice offering of Houdiniana and rare magic memorabilia, books, tricks, and posters. Among the highlights will be challenges, photos, and autographs from the Houdini family collection. The Houdiniana will be complemented by an assortment of collectible magic books, posters, ephemera, & apparatus. Purchase Catalog
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Lot 42

Guiteau Cuff

Estimate: $400 - $800
Current Bid
$200

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

Guiteau Cuff and Castings. North Garfield, Australia: Stockade Locksmiths (Ian McColl), 1990s. Faithful recreation by master locksmith Ian McColl of the heavy cast cuffs nicknamed by Houdini. Offered together with the castings used by McColl to create the restraints. With the nesting keys. Extended length 10 1/2 x 3 x 1". The aged look of the restraints was a deliberate aesthetic choice of the manufacturer, meant to mimic the look of the few surviving examples of the restraint that have survived the years.

Houdini first saw these cuffs on a visit to the Rankin factory in Philadelphia in 1900. The restraint incorporates a unique locking mechanism using a key within a key to open or close it. In his book Handcuff Secrets, Houdini wrote, "Such was the style of cuff which I have been informed was used on Guiteau, the murderer of President Garfield, who was aftertwards hanged for this crime. It is a formidable cuff, and very difficult, as it requires a key within a key to open."

Overall Dimensions
Height: 11.00 in
Width: 3.00 in
Depth: 3.00 in
Weight: 9.00 lbs

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