Objects Database

Hiatt Karabiner

Accession Number

1233.2015.1

Object Name

Hiatt Karabiner

Created

21/04/2015

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

21/04/2015

Brief Description

'D' shaped Hiatt snaplink karabiner

Materials

aluminium alloy

Dimensions

12(l) x 6(w) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

"HIATT ENGLAND"

Colour

silver

Maker

Hiatt

Object Production Place

England

Provenance

Though there is a little confusion about the spelling, it seems that a Mr Hiat(t) started producing prisoner's handcuffs, felon's leg irons, gang chains and Nigger collars in Birmingham around 1780. Fortunately, the leg irons, gang chains and collars were soon consigned to history, though Hiatt as a company survived for over 200 years as one of Britain's, and the world's, leading providers of handcuffs. The factory closed in 2008, though it seems 'Hiatt' still survives under new ownership since Hiatt products are still available in 2013.
Unsurprisingly, for a company that specialised in high quality steel restraint devices, they diversified a little at some point to produce pitons and karabiners. We don't have any direct information of when this came about, but the early karabiners seemed to have appeared in the late 1950's with the British Mountaineering Council approving the large 'D' shaped karabiner in 1963.
We suspect that this type of karabiner came along a little later and being made from an aluminium alloy making it lighter and rather more user friendly. Interestingly, this 'Hiatt' seems to be an almost exact replica of a Stubai karabiner from the same era.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Rona Grindley

Acquisition Date

21/04/2015

Condition Check Date

21/04/2015

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

21/04/2015

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