Truncheons and tipstaffs

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

I wondered if any of our members collected these. I purchased a book on militaria many many moons ago that got into this subject and I found it fascinating. I've never managed to get a British one... only a U.S. nightstick which just aren't the same. Of course the British versions I'm referring to were considered a badge of office and in some instances the tops could be unscrewed and a warrant concealed inside until it was needed.

Many of them are extremely fancy with the various coats of arms, crowns, etc.

I found this site which I thought I'd pass along.

http://www.btp.police.uk/History%20Society.../Truncheons.htm

If anyone has any examples I'd love to hear more about them.

Thanks,

Dan

[Riley1965]

Dan,

A most interesting website, to be sure !!! Thanks for sharing it. I never considered the artistic variances.

Doc

[Hauptmann]

Dan,

A most interesting website, to be sure !!! Thanks for sharing it. I never considered the artistic variances.

Doc

Hi Doc,

Good to hear from you my friend. Been awhile. Hope all is going well for you and your's.

Definitely a great area of collecting and study re: British and I'm guessing Commonwealth police forces. If you go to a search engine and type in police truncheons or police tipstaffs a bunch of sites and information come up.

Here's the info on that book I mentioned:

Collecting Military Antiques by Frederick Wilkinson

Copyright 1976 with my edition being from 1984.

ISBN # 0 946495 07 6

It originally ran 12 pounds 50 pence back then. I think I got it for like under $5 about fifteen or twenty years ago. Chapter 13 on Police covers fourteen pages and has photos of uniforms, truncheons, handcuffs, badges and discusses all of them. Sadly the pics are all in black and white.

I did a quick search on Ebay and there are several copies listed... most under $5 and the rest up towards the $10 to $15 range. One of the cheaper ones is the 1976 edition... which I'm guessing is the first edition.

There are eleven of them listed from $8.99 an up on Amazon.com.

Even back then when this was first published I believe that the more decorative of these would fetch a pretty penny. But they are very beautiful with some having silver or gold crowns of the reigning monarch at the top of the staff. Works of art in their own right.

There are some color pics on this site:

http://citypolice.tripod.com/cuffs_and_truncheons.htm

Here's another fascinating site covering not only truncheons but also badges, uniforms, etc.

http://www.constabulary.com/crowns.htm

And a couple on the Railway Police:

http://www.truncheon.org.uk/rp.html

This one having some gorgeous metal examples:

http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results...&imagepos=5

Note the beautiful crowns at the tips.

This one covers an example from the period of William IV:

http://www.scientificcollectables.com/page_enlarge620.htm

I only wish I had some to post. Perhaps someday... I can but dream.

Dan

[Craig]

Those truncheons are beautiful but alas in this changing world most forces in the UK carry the American Asp. Though the BTP have an American style night stick.

The painted Victorian ones are heavily copied inthe UK and you can usualy find them at most antique fairs so if you are thinking of buying one make sure you get its history.

The tipstaffs are still used but as an emblem on badge ranks for senior officers. In the Metropolitan Police in London officers with the Rank of commander and above have an emblem of 2 crossed tipstaves in a laurel wreath. Each rank above adds an extra piece.

Craig

[Hauptmann]

Those truncheons are beautiful but alas in this changing world most forces in the UK carry the American Asp. Though the BTP have an American style night stick.

The painted Victorian ones are heavily copied inthe UK and you can usualy find them at most antique fairs so if you are thinking of buying one make sure you get its history.

The tipstaffs are still used but as an emblem on badge ranks for senior officers. In the Metropolitan Police in London officers with the Rank of commander and above have an emblem of 2 crossed tipstaves in a laurel wreath. Each rank above adds an extra piece.

Craig

Hi Craig,

Very cool! Mucho thanks for the additional info. Didn't realize they'd been copied... but I should have as it seems like everything that's ever been made probably has been. So will definitely be very careful if an opportunity ever comes up to get one. With luck I'll be in a situation where I can post it and get opinions as I definitely agree that that is the best way to go about such things until a certain expertise can be acquired over time. I would definitely be a newbie to this field but I'm always open to new things... especially beautiful ones. And these definitely qualify in that department.

Dan