New in the Gallery - Cufflinks and Brooches

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include a colorful rainbow of opal, amethyst, jade and heliotrope cufflinks along with a classic button-style tuxedo set from Carrington & Company.

Opal Fireworks  Brilliant opals dance with color like fireworks in the night sky.  A mesmerizing display of subtle flashes of blue, green and red that is beautifully captivating.  Custom crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1975   Cost:  $875

Tiger Eye  Beautiful tiger eyes set in finely crafted yellow gold.  The tiger eyes have dark brown/black edges shading to golden honey centers.  These elegant cufflinks were created by George O. Street in 14kt gold, circa 1920.   Cost:  $885

Carrington Jade II  Elegantly colorful cufflinks with striking mottled green jades set in gold.  The mysterious green depths of the jade play beautifully against the warm glow of the yellow gold.  Finely crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1900.   Cost:  $675

Heliotrope  Mesmerizing heliotropes (also known as bloodstones) smolder like burning embers amid ashes.  Finely crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1940.   Cost:  $785

Carrington Classic  A full dress set with pearl and mother-and-pearl centers surrounded by classic reeded and tied borders.  Created with Carrington & Co's inimitable sense of design and craftsmanship in 14kt white and rose gold,  circa 1925.   Cost:  $2,650

Purple and Gold  Regal purple amethysts set in brightly polished yellow gold.  These elegant cufflinks were created by Carrington & Co. 14kt gold,  circa 1900.   Cost:  $725

In the Antique Brooch Gallery a stunning Art Nouveau amethyst brooch by Whiteside & Blank and a Hans Brassler coral brooch have been added.

Amethyst and Pearls  Beautiful Art Nouveau curves envelop a vibrant amethyst.  The flowing design is accented with four small pearls.  Created by Whiteside & Blank in 14kt gold, circa 1900.   Cost:  $625

Brassler Coral  A glowing coral cabochon amid an intriguing geometry of neoclassical and east Asian motifs. An early Art Deco brooch created by Hans Brassler in 14kt gold, circa 1910.   Cost:  $725

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

New in the Gallery - Cufflinks and Brooches

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include striking amethyst cufflinks created by Hans Brassler, a golden bit of architectural history, an elegant Carrington moonstone and platinum full dress set, an equally elegant Tiffany abalone and platinum dress set and smoldering tiger eye cufflinks by Sansbury & Nellis.

Amethyst and Gold  Glowing, rich purple amethysts set in distinctive, beautifully worked gold frames.  A miniature work of sculpture created by Hans Brassler in 14kt gold, circa 1910.    Cost:  Sold

Architectural History  Beautifully crafted cufflinks celebrating the Chicago Tribune's famous Tower Contest.  The 1922 competition was an international success drawing designs from many of the leading architects of the day.  An elegant piece of architectural history.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1922.    Cost:  Sold

Moonlight and Platinum  The shimmering adularescence of moonstone paired with the cool brilliance of platinum.  This elegant Carrington dress set glows with the dazzle and romance of the Art Deco era.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold,  circa 1925.    Cost:  Sold

Tiffany Abalone and Platinum   Dark aubergine abalone with iridescent flashes of red and green set in platinum.  A striking tuxedo set created for Tiffany & Co. in the late 1930s.  Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold.    Cost:  Sold

Tiger Eye  Elegant tiger eyes set in finely crafted gold cufflinks.  The tiger eyes glow with honey-yellow "eyes" that shade to rich brown along the edges.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.    Cost:  Sold

New in the Antique Brooch Gallery is a striking amethyst and pearl brooch with radiating fleur-de-lys.

Elegant Amethyst  A beautiful brooch with a hint of Medieval elegance.  The lozenge-cut amethysts rest in the lobes of a golden quatrefoil while radiating fleur-de-lys are accented with small, luminous pearls.  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1910.    Cost:  Sold

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 an elegant pair of platinum and pearl cufflinks by Carrington and Tiger Eye spool cufflinks from Sansbury & Nellis.

Platinum and Pearl  Luminous pearl and mother-of-pearl centers surrounded by wreathes of stylized laurel leaves.   Beautifully designed and impeccably crafted by Carrington & Co. in 14kt gold and platinum,  circa 1925.    Cost:  $925

Tiger Eye  Striking spool cufflinks with beautiful Tiger Eyes set in yellow gold.  The domed Tiger Eye gemstones are brown accented with rich honey yellow "eyes."  Created by Sansbury & Nellis, circa 1920.    Cost:  $785

In the Antique Stickpin Gallery recent additions include a striking turquoise stickpin created by Hayden Wheeler and an inquisitive, diamond-seeking serpent from Carter, Howe.

Wheeler Turquoise  A striking turquoise floats like a small planet amid swirling curves.  This stickpin beautifully weds the flowing curves of Art Nouveau with the symmetry and Medieval themes favored by the Arts & Crafts movement.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.
Cost:  $425

Wheeler Turquoise  A striking turquoise floats like a small planet amid swirling curves.  This stickpin beautifully weds the flowing curves of Art Nouveau with the symmetry and Medieval themes favored by the Arts & Crafts movement.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.
Cost:  $425

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

Recent Additions

Recent additions to the Antique Jewelry Galleries include a beautiful pair of blue enamel and garland cufflinks by Larter & Sons, bold Art Deco pinstripe links, elegant George O. Street tiger eye cufflinks, and a pair of English cipher cufflinks. Other recent additions include an Egyptian Revival stickpin by Alling & Company and a wonderful "Serpent de Mer" stickpin by French jewelers Plisson et Hartz.

Garlands and Blues   Classically inspired wreathes of festive garlands surrounding centers reminiscent of exploding fireworks.  The elegant design is beautifully set off by rich blue enamel borders.  Crafted in 14kt gold by Larter & Sons,  circa 1925.

Art Deco Pinstripes  Elegant Art Deco cufflinks with golden pinstripes alternating with brightly polished bands of white gold.  A nice example of the geometric pinstripe designs of the later Art Deco period.  Crafted in 14kt gold,  circa 1930.

Tiger Eye  Elegant cufflinks with beautiful tiger eyes set in finely crafted yellow gold.  The domed tiger eyes feature rich brown edges shading to glowing, honey yellow "eyes."  Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1940.

English Ciphers  The Victorians loved richly detailed ciphers of entwined letters and contrasting fonts.  These British cufflinks feature a flowing, organic "L" interlaced with a Gothic, wooden "E".  Crafted in 9kt gold, circa 1928.

Alling Egyptian Revival  The flowing, geometric design of this stickpin is a wonderful example of the inspiration jewelers in the the early 1900s found in the arts and architecture of ancient Egypt.  Created by Alling & Company in 14kt gold,  circa 1900.

Serpent de Mer  A writhing sea serpent clutches a luminous pearl.  In the late 1800s French jewelers created a menagerie of fantastic and mythological creatures.  This boldly sculpted sea serpent with life-like fins and a tail that appears to be floating in water is a wonderful example.  Crafted in 18kt gold,  circa 1900.

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

Elegant Cufflinks and Striking Gemstones

Charles Keller carnelian set cufflinks, circa 1925.

In the jewelry trade there is an ugly expression, "semi-precious gemstone".  The dismissive adjective "semi-precious" is used to denote gemstone varieties perceived to be of lesser value or prestige, much like the term "B list" denotes celebrities of lower calibre or lesser status.  In the past any gemstone other than the traditional "Big 4" - diamonds, sapphires rubies and emeralds - could be mislabeled as semi-precious.

While diamonds, rubies and sapphires glitter and sparkle, the so-called "semi-precious gems" offer virtues all their own.  Not the least of which is a nearly limitless variety of beautiful hues and rich color patterns.  These underappreciated gemstones found enthusiastic supporters among the cufflink makers and wearers of the late Victorian era and early 20th century.  Here are a few colorful examples from the Antique Cufflink Gallery.

Charles Keller sodalite cufflinks, circa 1925.

Charles Keller & Company was a prolific maker of fine cufflinks from about 1890 to 1930.  This pair of Keller cufflinks is set with dark blue sodalites accented with cloud-like wisps of white calcite.  The gemstones bring to mind a night sky with a few wispy clouds illuminated by moonlight. Sodalite, along with lapis lazuli, was favored during the Art Deco period for its rich blue color. Charles Keller & Company also created the sultry red Carnelian cufflinks pictured at the top of this post.

Victorian cufflinks set with bloodstones, circa 1900.

If sodalite can be likened to a moonlit midnight sky, the fine bloodstones set in these late Victorian cufflinks are aptly described as glowing, hot embers flowing amid dark, cooling lava. Bloodstone is a captivating variety of the mineral quartz with a dark green, sometimes almost black, background and red flecks of iron oxide.  These beautiful bloodstones are set in oval gold frames and secured by fleur-de-lys prongs. Created by George  O. Street & Sons in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

Sansbury & Nellis tiger eye cufflinks, circa 1925.

Many decorative varieties of quartz were favored in gentlemen's jewelry. This pair of curved spool cufflinks by Sansbury & Nellis are set with dark brown and honey colored tiger eye's.  The dramatic, rich tones of the gemstones are heightened by the rose gold setting.  Tiger eye, like the bloodstones illustrated above, is a variety of quartz.  A few more examples of quartz set cufflinks are illustrated below.

Art Deco white chalcedony cufflinks, circa 1925.

Sansbury & Nellis also created these dazzling white cufflinks from the Art Deco era.  The gemstones are chalcedonies (pronounced "cal-said-knees"), a fine grained variety of quartz.  Fine chalcedony appears to glow with an otherworldly light.  The white chalcedonies set in these cufflinks have a billowy luminance reminiscent of a white fog bank just before it burns off in the morning sun.  Sansbury & Nellis was one of the premier makers of fine gem-set cufflinks in the decades around 1920.

Carrington abalone and pearl cufflinks, circa 1925.

Carrington cufflinks with carved abalone dishes set with glistening white pearls.  Although abalone shell is technically not a gemstone, the iridescent beauty of this "semi-precious" material didn't escape cufflink makers and connoisseurs.  In this pair the dark abalone creates a striking contrast with the platinum borders and center pearls.  A beautiful example of the elegant, stark designs favored in the later Art Deco period. Once again confirming that Carrington & Company was the master of understated elegance.

Tiffany sardonyx cameo cuff button, circa 1870.

This pair of Victorian cuff buttons with cameo portraits (one shown) was created by Tiffany & Co. around 1875.  The cameos are carved in sardonyx, a lovely banded variety of quartz with alternating layers of dark red carnelian and white or colored onyx.  The cameos are set in a border of alternating rose gold and platinum dots. These cuff buttons were likely custom created for a well-healed gentleman wishing to always have a portrait of his wife and/or daughters near at hand.

These and other fine cufflinks from the past can be found
in the Antique Cufflink Gallery.

Recent Additions

Antique Cufflinks

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include elegant two-tone cufflinks by Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss, a striking pair of cruciform cufflinks from the firm founded by Enos Richardson, and a trilogy of gem set links featuring Tiger Eye, White Chaledony and sultry red Carnelian.

Radiant Scrolls Beautifully engraved centers with radiating waves surrounded by bold borders of twisting scrolls. A striking pair of Art Deco cufflinks. Crafted in 14kt yellow and white gold, circa 1925.

Garden Maze A maze-like center of nested circles surrounded by borders of flowing scrolls and mille grain edges. The design brings to mind a maze at the center of a walled garden. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.

Tiger Eyes Striking cufflinks with beautiful Tiger Eyes set in rose gold. The domed Tiger Eye cabochons are brown accented with and rich honey yellow "eyes." Created by Sansbury & Nellis in 14kt gold, circa 1920.

Carnelian Red Sultry red Carnelains set in yellow gold cufflinks. Striking colors and boldly cut gemstones were hallmarks of the Art Deco era. Created by Charles Keller in 14kt gold, circa 1920.

Art Deco White Translucent, foggy white chalcedonies (a fine grain variety of quartz) set in bright yellow gold bezels. A nice example of the luminous white jewels of the Art Deco era. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1930.

Estate Jewelry

Additions to the Antique and Estate Jewelry Gallery include a beautiful pair of stickpins by Alling & Company and Hans Brassler.

Alling Dragon A fantastic winged creature with the head of a lion and body of a serpent coiled around a pearl. A nice example of the Victorian fascination with mythological creatures. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1890.

Brassler Moonstone A luminous moonstone set in a rich gold frame with a Greek key border. The goldwork gives the jewel a mysterious ancient feel. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1910

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

Recent Additions

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include elegant blue enamel and diamond cufflinks, exuberant Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss two-tone links, a pair of classic platinum and gold ovals by Carrington, striking Tiger Eye spool links, and frosty Carter, Gough snowflakes.

Keller Blue and Gold II An amazing pair of Charles Keller cufflinks with blue enamel accents and sparkling diamonds. The navy blue enamel beautifully contrasts with the warm, rich tones of the yellow gold. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1920.




Garlands and Swags Exuberant two-tone cufflinks from the 1920s. Yellow gold centers feature classic garlands and swags surrounded by white gold borders with a bold geometric design. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.




Carrington Classics A beautiful pair of Carrington ovals with linearly engraved centers surrounded by spiralling, twisted-ribbon borders. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1925.




Tiger Eye Striking cufflinks with beautiful Tiger Eyes set in rose gold. The Tiger Eyes are brown accented with just a hint of green and rich honey colored "eyes." Created by Sansbury & Nellis in 14kt gold, circa 1920.




Carter Snowflakes Striking eight-sided cufflinks with dramatic snowflake or star burst designs surrounded by elegant, upsweeping borders. Created by Carter, Gough & Co. in 14kt white gold, circa 1925.

Additional photos of these and other fine antique cufflinks,
can be found in the Antique Cufflink Gallery.