Prop handcuffs from a costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

These prop handcuffs are part of a costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle. The costume consists of a headdress (.1), a cape (.2), silver studded black leather collar, breast covers, and codpiece (.3a-d), wrist cuffs (.4ab), platform boots (.5ab), prop handcuffs (.6), and a prop riding crop (.7).

The handcuffs (.6) attached at the proper left hip of the white long-sleeved ankle-length unitard. The handcuffs are standard silver stainless steel, with rotating arm holes hinged to a ratchet mechanism for adjustable fit. The cuffs are attached together with a short length of heavy metal chain. One (1) strip of black leather wraps over the chain. The leather is decorated with convex silver rounded metal nail head studs and is tacked together at the sides. Two (2) large metal hooks are attached to the inside of the leather wrap, so that the cuffs dangle down from the leather wrap when they are hooked to the unitard.

This costume is very similar to a costume worn by Hendryx during a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House on October 6, 1974.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1974
• Designed by: Dorian Blakely
• Worn by: Nona Hendryx, American, born 1944
• Subject of: Labelle, American, founded 1962
• Type: handcuffs
• Type: props
• Medium: metal and leather
• Dimensions: H x W x D (On form): 7 3/4 × 4 3/4 × 2 in. (19.7 × 12.1 × 5.1 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (Flat): 4 5/8 × 10 3/8 × 1 in. (11.7 × 26.4 × 2.5 cm)
• Place used: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, Manhattan County, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Costume design
• Topic: Design
• Topic: Disco (Music)
• Topic: Funk (Music)
• Topic: Rhythm and blues (Music)
• Object number: 2014.246.2.6
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Nona Hendryx of Labelle
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.