I was a Wheeler Escapes customer, starting around 1973. At that time, a Tower double lock cost me $17.
While I never met Wheeler in person, we did have phone conversations, including one where he gave me the 'skinny' on the newly-released S&W model 94.
Among my books is a copy of his "Thoughts and Advice on Handcuffs and Escapes," autographed by the author.

Never heard of him before he was mentioned by Dick in a post. Is the book you mention worth looking out for?

"i remember when.......a " your showing your age old man thanks for sharing though Steve!

Anyone else have any memories of Prynce (not as in "the artist formerly known as Prince" musician)?

Even I have to step in here, surely this is another one of your famous jokes. You have never hear of Prynce E Wheeler Dave!? Have you heard of Joe Tanner or Wheeler- Tanner Escapes? I know you're Brit but that is no excuse

I too never had a chance to meet Prynce Wheeler but I kept seeing the name stamped on several handcuff keys I had when I began handcuff collecting. Prynce Wheeler had a small business selling escape equipment and collectible handcuffs He was an escape artist and handcuff collector as well. Some one will know for sure but I think Prynce Wheeler died in about 1980. His daughter Pam married Joe Tanner and kept the family business going under the name Wheeler Tanner.

I travelled to see Joe Tanner in Montana in 1983 and see the huge collection of handcuff that he inherited from his father in law. In the being of my business Joe Tanner was my US distributor.

Joe still deals with antique handcuffs.

Hi Dave and Harley! Thanks for the kind words!!!

That post on the 'other thread' is the first I've made in the Escapes 'department'. I WAS a bit surprised at the response!

I've always been interested in Escapes, but am definitely not an expert!

I was booking schools for National School Assemblies in the '80s and early '90s. For the season of '95, we had booked DICK XAVIER for a tour of about 16 weeks. Dick had auditioned a year or so before and had done a tour or two. In order to fill out his tour, Jack West (Nat'l. Mgr.) had had to book some elementaries. Dick was to start in Idaho in January of 1995. He didn't like elementaries as he had to do some magic for the little ones, with only one escape. Dick phoned the office in mid December and said he would not go out. Jack Lythgoe and I had spent time aI've never heard of Xavier since. I suspect he is out of the business. He had talent--just a bit of a prima donna! He did a jacket, the 100 feet of rope and the Australian crib in his 45 minutes. The high schools liked it.

I've since sold all but a few of my cuffs and come alongs to Dean Gunnarson.

Thanks for listening!

OOPS~ See above. I accidentally "edited" a line.

In the fourth paragraph, it should say: Jack Lythgoe and I had spent time and money booking Xavier. ...I've never heard of Xavier since.

Insert paragraph 5...I loaned a magician, puppeteer friend, Jim Jayes, my jacket, a set of Wheeler Transport Chains, a Hamburg '8' jumper cuffs, a thumb cuff, etc. and he did a fine job in Idaho, and Utah. (Jim is a SHOWMAN!)

JIm didn't want the Tennessee part of the tour, so I did it!. I was born and raised in Upper Michigan--100 miles from Appleton Wisconsin, so I told some Houdini stories, and did an exhibition presentation. --Jacket, cuffs, etc. I got a much better response than I deserved!

At 81 I "aint" gonna do any more road tours!

I am really sorry ...... but ....... it was not a joke. I am sorry to say I did not know the name Prynce E Wheeler. I didn't start getting in to escapes until the late 90's early 2000 unless you count metamorphosis as a start? But that was not much earlier say 1996 (ish).

Needless to say "I am looking in to it" always want to know more about the history of escape 'stuff'.

Just yanking your chain, turnabout is fair play, there are many who are well known, in other circles, that I don't know about.

I'd've having my chain yanked ...... Hold on your not using that as a euphemism are you?

More than happy to be wound up ....... Literally as well as metaphorically.

Either way I done learned something!

Mr. Wheeler had an escape magazine I wish was republished in book form collecting the entire issues.
I still have the catalog.

Jerry

Hi Jerry, You might want to contact Joe Tanner for the publishing details , you can find him via

http://www.network54.com/Forum/261154/

I was also a Wheeler customer. It was probably 1970, maybe 1971. I bought a pair of 'Ace' thumbcuffs from him. He had a flimsy, colored paper catalog that I used to drool over. As a teenager I just didn't have the necessary funds to buy all that stuff. I have to look around as I'm sure I still have that catalog around somewhere.

The catalogue was an amazing thing! There must have been 100 or more different designs of SJ, a feast for the imagination. I think I still have one somewhere.

I have a PDF of an old catalogue that makes an interesting read

Here's a "foot note" to the Prynce Wheeler 'story'....

In '85, I was managing a phone room for the Stan Kramien show. I remember looking up Prynce when I was in Montana. He was in the intensive care unit of a hospital in (I think) Great Falls, Montana. We had a nice visit. I didn't stay too long as it was intensive care. I later learned that he had died later that night.

Dick, I think your dates are out a few years, I was there in 1983 and stayed with Joe and Pam Tanner. Prycne Wheeler had passed away several years before then.

I believe he passed away 1n 1980

Egad! (as Jay Marshall would say!)

I gotta hire a better proofreader!!! I usually read over my post before I hit the 'send' button! I must have been in a hurry when I wrote that, OR, my wrinkled old eyes missed that "5"!

Thanks for pointing that out.