Recent Additions - Cufflinks and Stickpins

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include several pairs of Art Deco cufflinks set with bright blue sapphires, an elegant Carrington dress set, striking guilloche enamel cufflinks by Krementz and a number of other richly engraved cufflinks from the early 20th century.

Egyptian Revival  Stylized lotus blossoms and splayed papyrus fronds surround bright blue sapphires and radiant sun bursts adding Pharaonic splendor to these Art Deco cufflinks.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  Sold

Sapphire and Gold  Rich blue sapphires set amid bright gold centers of concentric circles, stylized acanthus leaves and finely milgrained edges.  The Art Deco jeweler let no chance escape to embellish this richly detailed design.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  Sold

Lavender and Gold  Arresting Art Deco cufflinks with lavender and black enamel centers accented with yellow gold pinstripes and borders.  Created by Krementz & Company in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  $975

Carrington Elegance  Sparkling diamonds in platinum set amid radiant waves etched in mother-of-pearl all surrounded by jazzy platinum borders  A jazzy example of the Carrington sense of understated elegance.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1925.    Cost:  $1,625

Winter Jazz  Radiant checkerboard centers surrounded by bold Jazz Age borders.  These Art Deco cufflinks glimmer with the frosty elegance of icicles glittering in the early morning sun.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  $875

Pharaoh's Pool  Waving papyrus reeds and elegant anthemia surround a rippling pool of golden water or, perhaps, it is a hidden garden maze.  Art Deco cufflinks with the mysteries of ancient Egypt.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.    Cost:  $875

Pizzazz  Bright Art Deco cufflinks with intricately engraved platinum centers surrounded by yellow gold borders with stylized palmette corners.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1920.    Cost:  $485

In the Antique Stickpin Gallery recent additions include a fierce dragon, a golden bug and a lapis lazuli scarab.

Regal Dragon  A fierce dragon watches menacingly while maintaining a certain regal composure.  The dragon is beautifully rendered - note the fine details of the wings, the scales along the neck and body and the expressive features of the head.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.
Cost:  $425

The Gold Bug The diamond-set head, elongated shield-shape body and golden forelegs of this abstractly rendered insect are framed by dramatically outward sweeping wings.  A wonderful example of American Art Nouveau design.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.
Cost:  $475

Scarab and Serpents  The mysteries of ancient Egypt ... two serpents with entwined tails surround a scarab carved in lapis lazuli.  A stylized lotus blossom rest atop the serpents and scarab.  This stickpin was created by Hans Brassler in 14kt gold, circa 1910.    Cost:  $725

These and other fine jewels can be found in
the Antique and Estate Jewelry Galleries

Krementz Doubles

Krementz Egyptian Princess cufflink, circa 1900.

In 1866 George Krementz founded the venerable jewelry firm Krementz & Company.  Over the next 125 years the firm was involved in nearly every aspect of jewelry manufacture - from costume to fine jewelry, colored gemstones to colorful enamels, cufflinks to tiaras.  The jewels created by Krementz & Company were retailed by carriage trade jewelers of the day like Tiffany & Company, as well as small town, mom-and-pop jewelry shops.

Krementz Roaring Lion cufflink, circa 1900.

Among the more captivating of the firm's creations are the "Krementz doubles". Victorian cufflinks often consisted of beautifully decorated oval fronts attached to smaller oval backs with a curved bridge. The oval backs somewhat resembled small beans, so these cufflinks came to be known as "bean backs". Unfortunately, the bean-shaped backs were often left unadorned or merely engraved with the wearer's initials. This left the backs looking somewhat plain and unfinished.

Around 1900 to remedy this situation Krementz & Co. introduced a small collection of figural cufflinks with decorated backs. The backs replicated on a smaller scale the design of the fronts or were decorated with a similar theme. Known as "Krementz doubles" these cufflinks reflected the firm's passion for innovative and imaginatively designed jewels. An example of a decorated bean back is pictured below.

Reverse of Roaring Lion cufflink.

Krementz doubles were created for only a brief period around 1900. The cufflinks are beautifully designed, richly detailed, and impeccably crafted. They are somewhat rare and highly desirable. This note illustrates some of the Krementz doubles I have had the pleasure of working with. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Krementz Native American cufflink, circa 1900.

Krementz doubles are figural cufflinks. That is, they featured wonderful reliefs of roaring lions, mermaids, writhing serpents and other subjects drawn from fantasy and nature. I have not yet come across a Krementz double embellished with an abstract or merely decorative pattern. This cufflink of a Native American in song is a nice example illustrating richness and artistry of the designs.

Krementz leonine double cufflink, circa 1900.

Among Victorian and early 20th century cufflink makers roaring, menacing lions were a favorite subject . Krementz & Co. was no exception. In this note I have illustrated two Krementz doubles with dramatic images of roaring lions - the 3/4 profile lurking in the grass pictured above and the fierce full-faced version illustrated earlier in this post. At the end of this note is a third leonine cufflink, this one created by another eminent cufflink maker of the early 1900s, Link & Angell.

Mermaid and Swan cufflink, circa 1900.

In the years around 1900, the free flowing, otherworldly designs of Art Nouveau flourished and Krementz & Co. was one of the first American jewelry makers to embrace the new style. It is not surprising that Krementz doubles often reflected the prevailing enthusiasm for Art Nouveau design as seen in the wonderful Mermaid and Swan cufflink illustrated above. The Egyptian Princess cufflink illustrated at the top of this post offers another striking example. In other doubles the Art Nouveau influence is more subtle, often seen in the flowing hair of the subjects or in the foliage and wind blown grasses in the background. It is not mere coincidence that the short-lived reigns of the Art Nouveau style and Krementz doubles were largely coincident.

 Krementz serpent cufflinks, circa 1900.

This final example of a Krementz double features entwined rattlesnakes. Among the Victorians entwined or coiled snakes were symbols of good fortune and long life. I suspect this interpretation may not apply when the snakes are venomous rattlers. The influence of Art Nouveau is seen in the scaly bodies of the snakes as they twist to form the outer edge cufflink, as well as in the sinuous vines that twists around the bodies of the snakes. As with all Krementz doubles the scene is beautifully and richly rendered.

Link & Angell double cufflink, circa 1900.

Krementz & Co. was not the only maker of figural cufflinks with decorated bean backs. Pictured above is a leonine example created by Link & Angell, another fine jewelry maker. In fact, I am not certain that Krementz was the first cufflink maker to employee decorated bean backs: the origin and first use is yet to be discovered. But, what is clear is that Krementz & Co.with its passion for innovation and beautiful design was the leading maker and populariser of these captivating cufflinks during the early 1900s.

Back of Mermaid and Swan cufflinks.

Further details and images of the above cufflinks can be found by clicking the photographs.

Other fine cufflinks can be found in the Antique Cufflink Gallery

Recent Additions

Recent additions to the Antique Jewelry Galleries include intriguing bloodstone cufflinks from Sansbury and Nellis and a winged-scarab stickpin by Hans Brassler, Jazz Age lapis lazuli and gold cufflinks, Art Nouveau foliate scroll cufflinks, and elegant sapphire and diamond cufflinks with intricately engraved platinum tops.

Heliotrope  Heliotrope is a beautiful gemstone with the mesmerizing appearance of fiery embers smoldering in a dark ashes.  These elegant cufflinks were created by Sansbury & Nellis during the Art Deco era.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1920.

Scarab and Bloodstone  A wonderful interpretation of a winged scarab by Hans Brassler.  In this imaginative jewel, the jeweler combined elements of Art Nouveau, Gothic Revival and Arts & Crafts design while evoking the mysteries of ancient Egypt.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1910.

Lapis and Gold   The rich blue of lapis lazuli accented with small bits of fools gold beautifully captures the elegant, raucous spirit of the Jazz Age.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.

Feathery Scrolls  Art Nouveau flowing, feathery scrolls.  The flowing design of these cufflinks may have been inspired by crashing waves along a rocky shore or ferns unfurling in the early Spring.  Created by Link & Angell in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

Sapphire and Diamonds   Beautifully engraved cufflinks set with rich blue sapphires and sparkling white diamonds.  The hexagonal borders feature intricate geometric designs in the Art Deco fashion.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1920.

The above fine cufflinks and stickpin, can be found in
the Antique Cufflinks Gallery and the Antique Stickpin Gallery

Recent Additions

Antique Cufflinks

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include beautiful scrolling Art Nouveau cufflinks, a striking engraved mother-of-pearl dress set by Carrington, frosty white gold Art Deco cufflinks and an Art Deco pair with sapphires.

Carrington Fireworks  A Carrington full dress set with engraved mother-of-pearl centers reminiscent of exploding fireworks surrounded by swirling scroll borders.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.

Voluptuous Swirls  A tangle of voluptuous scrolls enlivens these striking Art Nouveau cufflinks.  They feature the tight, twisting swirls favored in American Art Nouveau jewelry design.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

Sapphires and Stars  Art Deco cufflinks with dramatic compass rose centers set with small blue sapphires surrounded by angular Greek key borders.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1930.

Art Deco Elegance  Beautiful Art Deco cufflinks with flowing scroll borders and dramatically engraved bull's eye centers.  Created by Frank Krementz Company in 14kt gold, circa 1925.

Art Nouveau Waves  Dramatic scrolls flow along the edges of these cufflinks like frothy, crashing waves.  A nice example of Art Nouveau design.  Created by Link & Angell in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

Estate Jewelry

Additions to the Antique and Estate Jewelry Gallery include a beautiful Art Nouveau brooch by Krementz, dramatic irises, sinuous grape vines and a Victorian amethyst and diamond stickpin.

The Dream  A woman serenely dreaming amid four-leaf clovers.  The clovers are set with sparkling dew drop-like diamonds.  Created by Krementz & Company in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

Grapes and Pearls  Beautifully detailed grape leaves and a cluster of fresh water pearls cascade across the oval frame of this Victorian brooch.  Created 10kt gold, circa 1890.

Bouquet of Irises  A bouquet of golden irises flourishes amid an Art Nouveau tangle of curvaceous stems and foliage.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

Amethyst and Diamond  A regal purple amethyst is accented with fresh water pearls and a sparkling diamond..  The gems are set in a flowing Victorian twig-and-vine setting crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1890.

The above cufflinks, stickpins and other fine jewels from the past,
can be found in the Antique Cufflink Gallery
and the Estate Jewelry Gallery

Antique Cufflinks: Windows to the Past

Art Nouveau cufflink, circa 1900.

Antique Cufflinks:
Windows to the Past

Several months ago I wrote about the artistry of antique cufflinks. The beauty and design of antique cufflinks are undeniably captivating. History, along with adornment, are also factors that draw one to these miniature jewels from the past. These three factors - Art, History and Adornment - largely explain the pleasant surprise (the"AHA effect") experienced by many when first viewing antique cufflinks. Today I will briefly discuss the historic appeal of antique cufflinks.

Antique cufflinks are windows into the past. They are miniature links to the past that reflect not just earlier fashions and tastes, but the enthusiasms and aspirations of the people who wore them. Consider the exotic mysticism of the Art Nouveau cufflinks pictured above. Or, the jazzy elegance of the brightly engraved cufflinks from the 1920s shown below. Each wonderfully captures the the spirit, the zeitgeist of its era.

Jazzy Ziething white gold cufflinks, circa 1920.

In addition to reflecting the spirit of an age, antique cufflinks often celebrated significant personal and public events in the life of the wearer. Appropriately known as "commemoratives," these cufflinks recorded events in the nation's history, important graduations and reunions, and corporate milestones. Often the commemorated event is easily recognized. Sometimes it remains shrouded in mystery.

Commemorative cufflinks, circa 1915.

Pictured above is a silver-gilt cufflink featuring an impish fellow crowned with a laurel wreath. A scroll marked "degree" or "decree" is supported by his left hand. In his right hand he holds a long staff and his shirt is emblazoned with "99". The left border of the cufflinks is annotated "QUINDECENNIAL" signifying the 15th anniversary of an important event. What the important event was I have not been able to determine. Any thoughts?

Masonic cufflinks, circa 1880.

Closely related to commemorative cufflinks are links that signified the wearer's membership in a fraternal or social organization. In the late 19th and early 20th century there was a blossoming in clubs, lodges, granges and civic organizations. America was a nation of joiners and membership in a fraternal or social organization was often announced with a pair of suitably adorned cufflinks. Judging from the numerous examples of elegant Masonic cufflinks that survive, it is reasonable to surmise that the Masons were fervid cufflink wearers. Pictured above is a wonderfully designed and engraved pair of Masonic cufflinks from the late 1800s.

Link & Angell dramatically engine-turned cufflinks.

Although the beauty and design of antique cufflinks is what first catches the eye, I am equally intrigued with the people who made and wore the cufflinks. The backs of cufflinks often provide a wealth of helpful clues. Above is a cufflink beautifully engine-turned in a radial barley corn pattern. Crafted in 14kt white and yellow gold, the cufflink dates from the early decades of the last century.

Reverse of Link & Angell cufflinks.

Examining the reverse of the cufflink helps tell its story. The cufflinks were given in 1919 as a Christmas gift to "S.C.F." (the "F" is obscured by the cross bar). Although SCF remains anonymous to us, the personal inscription on the back of the cufflinks creates a tangible link to the past. No doubt, on a Christmas morning ninety years ago SCF delighted in the beauty of the cufflinks as much as we do today.

Close-up maker's mark.

A close examination of the cross bar reveals more clues to the cufflink's history. The cross bar is stamped "14K" for the purity of the gold. Beneath the gold mark is a maker's mark. Although the lower half of the mark is lost at the edge of the cross bar, it can be read as the maker's mark of the firm Link & Angell. The mark is an "L", "&" and "A" suitably connected by three links.

Founded by William Link in 1871, the firm under several names created elegant cufflinks and beautiful jewels for six decades. The Art Nouveau cufflinks pictured at the beginning of this note are also an example of the firm's work. William Link died in 1911 and the firm continued under outside management for several decades. The firm appears to have discontinued operations during the Great Depression.

A wonderful reference, if you wish to learn more about Link & Angell and other makers of American cufflinks is "The Glitter and the Gold: The Fashioning of American Jewelry" edited by Ulysses Grant Dietz. The book is a delight to read and an invaluable resource.

To view the above and other antique cufflinks,
please visit our Antique Cufflink Gallery.

The Artistry of Antique Cufflinks

Egyptian Revival cufflink, circa 1890.

The Artistry of Antique Cufflinks

Every so often I am asked to explain the allure of antique cufflinks. What sparks the enthusiasm for these diminutive jewels from the past? What makes an attractive pair of cufflinks irresistible? In my experience three factors contribute to the appeal of antique cufflinks - Art, History and Adornment. Collectively, these three factors - Art, History and Adornment - can be referred to as the "AHA effect".

Over the next several months I hope to discuss the factors that make up the AHA effect. Today I will focus on the first factor ... the artistry of antique cufflinks.

Art Nouveau cufflink, circa 1900

A colleague of mine describes and displays his antique cufflinks as miniature works of sculpture. He refers to this array of cuff jewels as "the sculpture garden." I am certain many cufflink collectors and admirers (myself included) feel the same way.

Intricate Scroll cufflinks in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

What initially attracts me to a pair of cufflinks is the beauty of the design and artistry of the workmanship. Assessing period, materials, maker and other interesting details takes second place to just viewing and enjoying the cufflinks as miniature works of art. A few of the miniature masterpieces that we have had the pleasure of working with in the gallery illustrate this note.

Jazzy spiral and scroll cufflinks, circa 1920.

The artistic ferment of the late 19th and early 20th century gave rise to a profusion of artistic directions and philosophies. Each influenced jewelry and cufflink design. In the first half of the 20th century, cufflink styles ranged from the historic revivals and enthusiastic eclecticism of the Victorian era to the Art Deco and Moderne designs of the 1930s and 1940s. Examples also reflect the visions of Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts and Edwardian jewelers who enjoyed periods of ascendancy.

Striking Art Deco cufflinks, circa 1925.

The great diversity of cufflinks from the past assures that there is always a pair to suit almost any taste . There is always something new to discover and delight in. After years of collecting and trading, I still come across unexpected designs and enjoy the excitement of examining a beautiful pair of vintage cufflinks for the first time.

Carrington cufflinks anticipating the Op Art of the 1960s.

Additional photos and details of the cufflinks illustrated above
can be found in the Antique Cufflink Gallery.

Art Deco white gold cufflinks, circa 1920.

Snowflake Cufflinks

Several nights ago a few isolated snowflakes fell as I was walking the dog. Meanwhile, the constellation Orion was peaking up over the horizon. All signs of winter. It is once again time to celebrate the coming season with a flurry of snowflake cufflinks.

The term "snowflake" is commonly used to describe white gold or platinum cufflinks that shimmer with exuberantly engraved designs. Particularly popular in the decades around 1920, these sparkling cuff jewels capture the light hearted, optimistic spirit of the age. The variety of intricately engraved patterns that decorate snowflake cufflinks is phenomenal, almost as varied and unique as natural snowflakes. The dramatic white gold Art Deco cufflinks pictured above are a nice example.

Here are a few more snowflakes that recently blew into the gallery ...

WAB jazzy spiral and scroll cufflinks, circa 1920.

Wordley, Allsop & Bliss was one of the more prolific makers of fine cufflinks from the firm's founding in 1907 until the 1930s. WAB and its successor firms created cufflinks ranging in style from late Victorian to late Art Deco Moderne. These white gold cufflinks from the early 1920s feature jagged spiral centers surrounded by richly scrolling borders. They reflect the early Art Deco preoccupation with leaving no surface undecorated.

Link & Angell barley turned cufflinks, circa 1920.

Link & Angell was another maker of fine cufflinks during the early decades of the last century. These beautifully engine turned cufflinks are decorated in a pattern known as "barleycorn". The repeated, petal-like design and the frostiness of the white gold, inspired us to nickname these cufflinks "Winter Rose". Crafted in 14kt gold around 1920.

Wintry Art Deco diamond cufflinks, circa 1925.

These frosty white gold cufflinks always remind me of a field of freshly fallen snow in the winter moonlight. The shimmering white of the the gold and richly detailed engraving give the cufflinks a sparkling, almost crystalline appearance. A small diamond set in a navette setting adds to the wintery brilliance. Crafted in 14kt white gold around 1925.

Ziething "Radiating Wave" cufflinks, circa 1925.

The word "pizazz" could have been invented to describe the jazzy cufflinks created by Ziething & Co. during the 1920s. The firm excelled at creating dramatically engraved cufflinks that seem to radiate, not just reflect, light. This pair with radiating wave-like centers surrounded by dramatic track borders is a beautiful example. Crafted in 10kt gold, circa 1925.

To view these snowflake cufflinks and other elegant cufflinks,
please visit the Antique Cufflink Gallery.