Posted by Atame on August 08, 2001 at 17:57:07:
In Reply to: Re: Old Stotz or new Stotz? That's the question! posted by Steve Santini on August 06, 2001 at 20:03:06:
Hello Steve, hello all,
first of all, Steve, thank you for your answer. Meanwhile I bought the Stotz I mentioned (the price was a nice one... even for a replica). Sure that I checked the three signs of a replica you mentioned. The key can be fully
turned (counter-clockwise) about 8 times before reaching the end. The ring shows absolutely no signs of a welding seam BUT the notches are bullet shaped! The seller told me that the jumping horse, which is stamped on one of the cuffs, is the coat of arms of the South German city Stuttgart. It means that these Stotz were in official police use by the Stuttgart police, a special city-unit which only existed until 1974. Now I think, there's a paradoxon... or three possibilities...
1. if Ian really is the only one who made Stotz replica he must have manufactured some of them before 1974.
2. there are other (older) manufacturers of Stotz replica.
3. my Stotz are original which means that there must be also real Stotz with bullet shaped notches.
If possibility 1 or 2 is true the question comes forth why the Stuttgart Police used expensive and not quite secure Stotz replica instead of modern handcuffs (they also use Schutzmarke "Deutsche Polizei" e.g.).
Now I'm very interested what the other collectors think... especially Ian McColl himself (I hope he'll read these postings)
Regards,
Atame