Acanthus Bridge Maker cufflinks, circa 1925.

The "Acanthus Bridge" Maker

A cursory review of Dorothy Rainwater's wonderful book, American Jewelry Manufacturers, suggests that American jewelry makers numbered in the hundreds, if not the thousands, during the early decades of the last century. Some of these firms were large enterprises, many were small workshops. When you include the jewelry and cufflink makers of Great Britain, continental Europe and the rest of the world, it is little wonder that identifying the maker of a pair of cufflinks can sometimes be a challenge.

This week, I illustrate several pairs of cufflinks from an unidentified maker. Each of the cufflinks features distinctive bridges (cross bars) decorated with stylized acanthus leaves. Hence the unknown creator of these cufflinks has been nicknamed "The Acanthus Bridge Maker."

Crafted in 14kt white and yellow gold, the cufflinks share common design elements in addition to the unique bridges. From the style of the cufflinks and use of white gold, they appear to have been created during the 1920s. Each pair weighs about 6 grams and is exceedingly well crafted.

"Acanthus Bridge" gold and diamond cufflinks, circa 1925.

The cufflinks are sometimes set with small diamonds on one face. The above two-tone pair features engine-turned white gold centers surrounded by a yellow gold inner border. The string swag motif of the yellow gold border is repeated in the yellow gold and diamond cufflinks pictured at the top of this note. The white gold outer edges are nicely milgrained.

"Acanthus Bridge" white gold cufflinks.

This pair of frosty white gold cufflinks features radiant star bursts surrounded by concentric circles. Note the floral and geometric border. This border design is also found in the cufflinks featured at the top of this note. The backs of these cufflinks, like the other two pairs, are crafted in 14kt yellow gold.

Other than the distinctive acanthus decorated bridges, there appears to be no maker's mark or signature. The maker of these beautiful cufflinks remains a mystery.

Note - Dorothy Rainwater's American Jewelry Manufacturers is an invaluable resource for identifying maker's marks. The Chicago Silver website also offers a helpful on-line reference for silver and jewelry marks (http://chicagosilver.com/marks_master_list.htm).

If you would like to view more elegant cufflinks from the past,
please visit our Antique Cufflink Gallery.

Durand & Co. platinum and gold cufflinks, circa 1910
Durand was one of the many jewelry makers
based in Newark, New Jersey.

Three Books and a Museum

As the temperature climbed above 80 degrees last week, my thoughts turned to summer. Two of my favorite summertime activities are reading by the lake and visiting the air conditioned confines of museums. So here is a list of several of my favorite cufflink-related books and one of my favorite museums.

The Glitter & The Gold: Fashioning America's Jewelry by Ulysses Grant Dietz, et al

During the decades from 1850 to 1950, Newark, New Jersey was the center of fine jewelry manufacture in the United States. The majority of the cufflinks featured in the Antique Cufflinks gallery and this blog were designed and manufactured by Newark jewelry makers. In 1997 an exhibition at the Newark Museum explored the history and evolution of the Newark jewelry trade and the stunning jewels created. The Glitter & the Gold documents the exhibition and offers many wonderful pictures and informative essays. If you are interested in American cufflinks and jewelry this book is indispensable.

Cufflinks by Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson

This is a fun book. It tells the story of gorgeous cufflinks and the fabulous people, le beau monde, who wore them. The book presents a sampling of fine links from the early 1700s through 1990 with an emphasis on early 20th century and Art Deco examples. The book is beautifully illustrated with wonderful photographs. This is a great read for an afternoon at the beach.

Cuff Jewelry: A Historical Account for Collectors and Antiques Dealers by Howard L. Bell

While the Jonas book samples the history of fine cufflinks, this book goes into greater depth on a narrower range. Howard Bell illustrates cufflinks from the Victorian era to the 1960s with over 1000 images. He covers diverse topics such as historical periods, materials, methods of manufacture, gemstones and makers' makers. His Chronology of Linkages is particulary interesting. Published in 1994, the book's price estimates provide a useful benchmark for how antique cufflinks have appreciated over the past 15 years. This book is a useful resource for the aspiring cufflink collector.

The Newark Museum Newark, New Jersey

An opportunity to visit The Newark Museum should never be passed up. The museum has a wonderful collection of American jewelry and decorative arts from the 19th and 20th centuries. The Museum's Curator of Decorative Arts, Ulysses Grant Dietz, has organized a number exemplary exhibitions on jewelry and related arts. Mr. Dietz is also the lead author of the first book listed above. You should visit the museum's web site to learn of current exhibitions and special events ( http://www.newarkmuseum.org/ ).