New in the Gallery - Cufflinks, Dress Sets, Brooches and Stickpins

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include elegantly striking cufflinks from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras.


Art Nouveau Curves  Elegant, free flowing scrolls accented with a sparkling star-set diamond.  The sinuous, untamed curves are a hallmark of Art Nouveau design.  Finely crafted  in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.
Cost:  $865


Sapphires and Stars  Bright blue sapphires set in frosted glass disks.  The dramatic effect is like a distant star shining through wispy clouds in the night sky.  Crafted in 14kt white and yellow gold, circa 1925.
Cost:  $875


Regal Blue  Twilight blue enamels set in boldly sculpted gold cufflinks.  Beneath the enamel a finely engraved radiating pattern shimmers like a distant star in the night sky.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.
Cost:  $925


Feeling Lucky  A four-leaf clover, lucky horseshoe and wishbone assure the wearer of these Art Nouveau cufflinks the best of good fortune.  Created by Larter & Sons in 14kt gold, circa 1900.  Cost:  $745


In the Tuxedo and Dress Set Gallery you will find a recently added a moss agate tuxedo set and a full dress set with onyx centers and ornate borders by Krementz.


Moss Agates  Mesmerizing moss agates with tangles of swirling green inclusions reminiscent of floating seaweed.  This elegant tuxedo set was created by Larter Bros. in 14kt gold, circa 1925.  Cost: $1,375


Onyx and Scrolls  Dark onyx centers surrounded by white gold borders with an elaborate scroll-and-berry design.   An elegant set in the striking black-and-white style of the Jazz Age crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.   Cost:  Sold


New in the Brooch and Pin Gallery is an Art Nouveau brooch with an amethyst, a beautiful Carter, Howe bar pin with a sapphire and fine enamel work, and an Art Deco circle brooch set with sapphires.


Art Nouveau Amethyst  A vibrant amethyst set amid elegant guilloche enamel work framed by a border of gold bands and interlacing Art Nouveau curves.  Created by Whiteside & Blank in 14kt gold, circa 1900.   Cost:  $925


Edwardian Sparkle  A beautifully enameled bar pin set with a blue sapphire and two pearls.  Created by Carter, Howe in 14kt gold, circa 1910.  Cost: $485


Sapphires and Filigree  An elegant Art Deco circle brooch with sparkling man-made sapphires set in intricate filigree work framed by stylized leaf-and-vine borders.  Created in 14kt white and yellow gold, circa 1925.  Cost:  $365


New in the Antique Stickpin Gallery is a striking French Art Nouveau stickpin with a chimera clutching a stickpin in its maw.


Chimera and Pearl  A fierce dragon clutches a luminous pearl in its maw.  This golden chimera is a wonderful example of the dramatic and at times terrifying work of French fin de siecle jewelers.  Crafted  in 18kt gold, circa 1900.   Cost:  $675

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

New in the Gallery - Cufflinks and Stickpins

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include Carrington platinum and gold cufflinks set with mother of pearl, an enigmatic pair with a message of restrained love, and elegant Art Deco cufflinks with an engraved "A".

Platinum and Pearl II  Platinum borders of engraved laurel wreaths surround creamy white mother-of-pearl centers.  A shimmering duet of white on white.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  Sold

La Défi de L'amour  Stylized symbols of love are hidden behind a maze-like border in the Chinese key pattern.  Perhaps these cufflinks are a comment on the challenge of finding true love.  Crafted in 14kt yellow and white gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  Sold

Elegant "A"  An elegantly engraved "A" framed in a rectangular cartouche surrounded by linear and squiggling pinstripes.  Jazzy cufflinks in the best Art Deco taste crafted in 14kt white gold, circa 1925.    Cost:  Sold

New in the Antique Stickpin Gallery are two elegant examples of Hans Brassler's work - one set with carnelian the other lapis lazuli.

Brassler Carnelian  A dramatic carnelian glows luminously from within the golden folds of a flowing setting.  A wonderful contrast between the stark geometry of the carnelian and the organic curves of the setting.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1910.    Cost:  $485

The Night Beetle  A deep blue lapis lazuli set as the body of an exotic scarab or moth with golden wings tightly folded along its sides.  In the lapis golden flecks of pyrite glitter like stars in the night sky.  Created by Hans Brassler in 14kt gold, circa 1910.    Cost:  $485

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

Recent Additions - Cufflinks and Stickpins

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include sizzling sapphire cufflinks from Ziething, dramatic scroll Art Nouveau bean backs and elegant Art Deco diamond links.

Sapphire Jungle  A jungle-like tangle of exotic flora and sweeping fronds engraved in white gold surround a radiant sunburst center set with a dark blue sapphire.    Crafted in 10kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  $725

Dramatic Scrolls  Elegant cufflinks with dramatic, swirling scrolls.  The sweeping, sharp-edged curves are a striking example of Art Nouveau design.  Crafted in 10kt gold, circa 1900.    Cost:  Sold

Diamond Elegance  Elegant Art Deco cufflinks with sparkling diamonds and platinum tops beautifully engraved with repeating pinstripe and wave motifs.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1920.    Cost:  $625

The Antique Stickpin Gallery now includes several striking Art Deco jade stickpins. One, Brassler Jade, was added several months ago. Another striking example by Taylor and Co. was added earlier this month.

Deco Jade  A boldly geometric stickpin set with an elongated jade cabochon.  A wonderful example of the influence of Chinese art and architecture on Art Deco design.  Created by Taylor & Co. in 14kt gold, circa 1930.    Cost:  $485

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

Recent Additions - Cufflinks, Stickpins and Dress Sets

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include dazzling Art Deco diamond cufflinks, fierce lion-eagles by Carter, Howe & Co., striking black-and-whites and intricately engraved diamond cufflinks circa 1920.

Taylor Elegance  Art Deco cufflinks that dance and sparkle with the cool elegance and geometric dazzle of a Busby Berkeley musical.  Created by Taylor & Co. in 14kt gold,  circa 1930.    Cost:  $1,125

Roaring Eagles  The Victorians decorated cufflinks with a menagerie of exotic and hybrid creatures.  These striking cufflinks feature a roaring lion with wing-like ears, a feathered mane and the tightly curling tongue of a bird of prey.   Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1900.    Cost:  Sold

Black and White   Elegant black enamel accents and white gold centers engraved with alternating straight and zig-zag pinstripes.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1930. Cost:  $675

Intricately Engraved  Intricately engraved cufflinks with a sparkling diamond.   Art Deco borders and a fine bead-like pattern along the edges add a final touch of Jazz Age elegance.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1920.    Cost:  $725

This month the Antique Stickpin Gallery has gone to the birds with a proud pheasant and wise owl. A French chimera and Brassler scarab round out the offerings.

Strutting Pheasant  A Victorian reverse intaglio of a ring-necked pheasant strutting through a miniature landscape.  The scene is beautifully rendered with many finely detailed plants.  Crafted in 18kt gold,  circa 1880.    Cost:  $675

Wise Owl  A wise owl perches on a branch and watches with inquisitive, bright green eyes.  The owl is beautifully sculpted with finely detailed feathers and sturdy talons grasping the tree branch.  The breast of the owl is engraved with the Greek letters Κ, Φ and Β - Kappa, Phi, Beta.    Cost:  Sold

La Chimère II  A French chimera hungrily pursues a small golden ball.  This fierce gargoyle has the head of a an eagle and body of a serpent that morphs into a vine decorated with acanthus leaves.  Crafted in 18kt gold, circa 1900. Cost:  Sold

Brassler Scarab A Hans Brassler stickpin with a sultry red carnelian scarab set in a stylized frame that repeats the scarab motif.  A wonderful blend of Egyptian Revival, Art Nouveau and Art Deco design.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1910.    Cost:  Sold

Recent additions to the Antique Dress Set Gallery include two elegant Art Deco dress sets by Carrington & Co. - one set with shimmering moonstones the other with luminous mother of pearl.

Moonlight and Platinum  Shimmering moonstones and platinum reflect the romance and elegance of an earlier age.  A full dress set created by Carrington & Company in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1910.    Cost:  $2,850

Platinum and Mother of Pearl  Exuberantly engraved platinum borders surround creamy white mother-of-pearl centers.  This Carrington full dress set is an elegant study in white on white.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1930.    Cost:  $2,450

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

Art of the Enameller - Guilloche Enamel Cufflinks

Whiteside & Blank blue guilloche enamel cufflinks.

One of the pleasures of antique cufflinks is exploring the great variety of decorative techniques used in their creation. Among the rarer and more beautiful cufflinks are those decorated with guilloche enameling.

Guilloche enamel brings together two venerable and exacting arts - enameling and engine turning. Enameling is the art of fusing powdered glass onto a metal or other substrate. As the powdered glass melts and cools it forms a lustrous vitreous surface. Enameled jewels date back to the ancient Mycenaean civilization of Cyprus. The Mycenaean ornaments (sorry, no cufflinks were found) date to the 13th century BC. The beautiful blue enamel cufflinks pictured at the top of this note are a little more contemporary. They date from around 1920 and were created in the jewelry workshops of Whiteside & Blank.

Beautifully engine-turned platinum cufflinks by Carrington.

Engine turning (or guilloche) is the art of mechanically engraving intricate, repeating designs on a metallic or other surface. Among the common guilloche patterns are shimmering radiant stars, wavy lines and spirals, pinstripes, concentric circles and other figures. The Carrington cufflinks pictured above are a beautiful example of the engine turner's art with jagged radiating curves surrounded by an equally intricate border. The depth and fineness of the engraving gives the design a striking three-dimensional appearance.

The allure of the machine - a rose engine lathe, circa 1800.

The art of engine turning emerged in Germany during the early 1500s with the invention of the rose engine lathe. Initially applied to softer materials like ivory, the technique was soon adapted to create elaborate designs on metal and glass. At one time in Germany engine turning (or "rose turning") was an enthusiastically pursued pastime of rulers and noblemen. The rose engine lathes, themselves, are beautifully crafted machines that are as intriguing and intricate as the designs they create.

Carrington purple guilloche enamel cufflinks.

When an engine turned surface is covered with a layer of translucent, colored enamel magic occurs. The colored enamel pools in the valleys of the engraved lines mirroring the engraved design in rich color. Subtle variations in the depth of the engraving are reflected in the shading of the color and the engraved pattern is thrown into stunning relief. The effect is mesmerizing.

Carrington blue-gray guilloche enamel cufflinks.

The enthusiasm for guilloche enameling during the late 19th and early 20th century was sparked by the creations of the master Russian jeweler Peter Carl Faberge. Faberge and his work masters created a dazzling array of enameled jewels and objets d'art. In doing so they elevated the arts of engine turning and enameling to new heights. Among Faberge's many enameled creations were cufflinks, desk accessories and the famous Faberge Easter Eggs.

The above Carrington cufflinks may have been inspired by Faberge's work. The subdued blue-gray enamel and classic canted-corner shape of the cufflinks recalls the elegant jewels of the Russian master. They illustrate the simple, elegant designs favored by Carrington & Co. and the firm's uncompromising commitment to craftsmanship.

William Huger blue guilloche enamel and gold cufflink.

Equal to Carrington & Co. in creating beautiful guilloche enamel cufflinks was William Huger & Company. Of the two firms Carrington was the more prolific. But what Huger lacked in production numbers the firm more than made up for with the beauty of its designs, as illustrated by the above exquisite example.

The above Huger cufflink features an intricately engine-turned pattern wedded with light blue enamel. The effect is like exploding blue fire works in a dark evening sky. Gold borders of foliate and geometric scrolls frame the enamel centers.

Krementz & Co. guilloche enamel cufflink.

To close, I offer three more examples of guilloche enamel cufflinks. Two of the cufflinks are from small batch makers (Jacob Hookaylo and Taylor & Co.), firms that like William Huger created extraordinarily beautiful cufflinks, but only in limited numbers. The expression "small batch maker" is in analogy to the distillers of fine, but limited run, bourbons and ryes. The other cufflink (above) is by Krementz & Co., a prolific and seemingly ubiquitous manufacturer of fine cufflinks during the late 19th and early 20th century.

Jacob Hookaylo guilloche enamel cufflink.

Taylor & Co. guilloche enamel cufflink.

To view guilloche enamel and other fine cufflinks,
please visit the Antique Cufflink Gallery.

Recent Additions - Cufflinks and Stickpins

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include an elegant pair of Carrington onyx and diamond cufflinks, Art Deco cufflinks with an endless tangle of squiggles, shimmering cat's eyes set in mid century cufflinks by L.E. Garrigus and fraternal cufflinks from the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.

Onyx and Diamond  Black onyx set with sparkling diamonds is perhaps the epitome of Art Deco elegance.  These beautifully crafted cufflinks were created by Carrington & Co. in 14kt gold around 1925.
Cost:  Sold

Infinite Squiggles  A seemingly endless tangle of golden squiggles give these elegant cufflinks a shimmering affect reminiscent of fine, watered silk.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1930.    Cost  $675

Art Moderne  Abstract cuff sculpture that beautifully captures the stark, modern designs of the mid century.  Set with shimmering cat's eye chrysoberyls.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1950.    Cost:  Sold

Order of the Elks  The elk, clock and star are symbols of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.  These richly detailed cufflinks were likely worn by a loyal member of the local lodge.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1920.    Cost: $625

In the Antique Stickpin Gallery recent additions include a striking Egyptian Revival stickpin by Hans Brassler, an elegant Belle Epoque stickpin from France and a roaring lion with fiery ruby eyes.

Pharaohs and Scarab  An Egyptian Revival stickpin with two Pharaohs flanking a heliotrope (bloodstone) scarab.  The two Pharaohs and other design elements are finely sculpted with a rich patina that throws the myriad details into high relief.  Created by Hans Brassler in 14kt gold, circa 1910.    Cost:  $885

Belle Epoque  A beautifully designed French stickpin from the Belle Epoque period set with sparkling rose-cut diamonds, a luminous pearl and bright ruby.  Finely crafted in 18kt gold and platinum,  circa 1900.
Cost:  $775

Roaring Lion  A lion roars while clutching a sparkling diamond in his mouth.  The lion's fierce aspect is accented with fiery red eyes (likely rubies or garnets).  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.    Cost:  $475

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

Recent Additions - Cufflinks and Stickpins

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include striking Art Nouveau cuff buttons created by Krementz & Company, Art Deco white gold cufflinks with bright blue sapphires afloat in a sea of churning waves, elegantly engraved English roses, and dramatic golden pinstripes from Taylor & Company.

L'Art Nouveau  Art Nouveau jewelers created fantastic jewels inspired by myth, fantasy and the artist's imagination.  These beautifully designed cufflinks with their hint of ancient Egypt, or is it the Mayan civilization, are a wonderful example.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1900.    Cost:  Sold

Art Deco Elegance  A bright blue sapphire floats in the center of a maelstrom of swirling waves.  This mini tempest is surrounded by alternating Art Deco scroll and geometric motifs.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  $825

English Roses  Elegant stylized roses blooming among sinuous, twining vines all heightened by the blush of the antique yellow gold.  Crafted in 9ct gold, circa 1920.    Cost:  Sold

Regal Pinstripes  The warmth of antique gold and regally engraved pinstripes.  The elegant shape of the cufflinks is highlighted with finely detailed borders and beaded and denticulate edges.  Created by Taylor & Co. in 14kt gold,  circa 1920.    Cost: $1,075

In the Antique Stickpin Gallery recent additions include a wonderful Art Nouveau stickpin set with a sapphire and pearl.

Sapphire and Pearl  Entwining Art Nouveau curves cradle a luminous pearl and bright blue sapphire.  The flowing curves come together beneath the sapphire to create an open heart.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.    Cost:  $385

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