Garden of the Maltese Cross Maker

Garden of the Maltese Cross Maker

Art Nouveau sunflower cufflinks by the "Maltese Cross" maker, circa 1900.

Spring has arrived in fits and starts this year. But, after several days of warm sunshine, the garden is abloom with hyacinth and blue bells, tulips and daffodils. All of which puts me in mind of one of the more florally focused cufflink makers of the early 1900s.

In the years around 1900, an unknown jewelry maker (nicknamed the "Maltese Cross maker") created an elegant collection of cufflinks abloom with flowers and foliage. These nature-inspired cufflinks reflected the sinuous curves and tangled forms of Art Nouveau design. The sunflower cufflinks pictured above are a wonderful example of the maker's work. The striking sunflowers and flowing vines (possibly acanthus) seem to spontaneously spring from the richly sculpted gold.

Whiplash vine cufflinks, circa 1900.

Whiplash curves were a signature of Art Nouveau design. The dramatically flowing acanthus leaves and vines which entangle the tops of these cufflinks are an elegant example. Among the Victorians acanthus was a symbol of the Arts. Jewels featuring acanthus leaves were often given to someone with artistic talent or aspirations. During the Art Nouveau period acanthus leaves and vines were also appreciated for their exotic, sinuous shapes.

Laurel sprig cufflinks by the "Maltese Cross" maker, circa 1890.

A little less effusive, a little more restrained than the prior cufflinks, this pair features laurel sprigs with berries - an ancient symbol of victory and status. The more restrained design suggests these cufflinks date from the late Victorian period, perhaps around 1890.

Based on the style and design of the cufflinks, I believe the "Maltese Cross" maker was active from about 1890 to 1910.

Reverse of "Maltese Cross" maker cufflinks.

The cufflinks are beautifully crafted in 14kt gold with curved "Y" bridges attaching the tops to traditional bean backs. A small gold ball is set at the split of the "Y". This bridge and back design was also favored by Alling & Company during the same period, although there is currently no further basis for assuming a relationship between the two firms.

"Maltese Cross" maker's mark.

In addition to dramatic floral and foliate designs, the cufflinks are distinguished by a maker's mark - a stylized Teutonic or Maltese cross within a circular border. The maker's mark is found on the inside of the bean backs along with a "14K" gold purity mark. The above photo of the maker's mark is from the stickpin pictured below. Photographing the inside of the bean backs proved too difficult.

Enamel four-leaf clover stickpin.

The Maltese cross maker's jewels were not limited to cufflinks. This verdant stickpin is a lucky talisman featuring beautiful enamel work, richly detailed petals and a small pearl. Crafted in 14kt gold around 1900, the stickpin illustrates the "Maltese Cross" maker's commitment to fine design and uncompromising craftsmanship.

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

Recent Additions

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include roaring lions by Krementz, dragons set with diamonds, striking white and black "garland and swag" links by WAB, and a sunny pair of yellow and white gold cufflinks.

Roaring Lions A fierce lion glares out from behind a golden mane. The lion is richly detailed with a full mane, whiskers and fierce eyes. Created by Krementz & Company in 14kt gold, circa 1900.

Dragons and Diamonds The Victorians were mesmerized by a menagerie of fantastic creatures. This dramatic pair of cufflinks features a dragon or possibly a sea serpent fiercely guarding a small diamond. Crafted in 10kt gold, circa 1900.

White Garlands Dramatic black and white cufflinks from the Jazz Age. The cufflinks feature garland and swag centers surrounded by geometric box-and-cross borders elegantly accented with black enamel. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.

Yellow and White Yellow and white gold cufflinks that have a warm glow like Spring sunshine. The richly engraved gold surfaces create a warm, shimmering appearance. Crafted by Krementz & Company in 14kt gold, circa 1925.

We also recently added an elegant eagle stickpin
in the Antique Jewelry Gallery.

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

Carrington Abalone Cufflinks

Carrington abalone and pearl cufflinks, circa 1935.

Other projects in the gallery have necessitated a brief leave from writing about antique cufflinks. But ongoing research continues. I hope to post next month about the beautiful "doubles" created by Krementz & Co. in the years around 1900.

Meanwhile, pictured above is a beautiful abalone and pearl cufflink created by Carrington & Company. A wonderful example of the clean, elegant design favored during the late 1930s. The abalone, a dark aubergine with flashes of red and green, contrasts beautifully with the brilliance of the platinum borders and the white pearls. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1935.

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

Recent Additions

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include a striking pair by Carrington featuring abalone, pearls and platinum, elegant Sapphire and Diamond cufflinks, Charles Keller blue enamel and gold cufflinks in the Arts & Crafts style, two pairs of dramatically engine-turned "Big Bang" cufflinks, and an Onyx and Diamond dress set by Carter, Gough.

Carrington Abalone and Pearl Elegant abalone and pearl cufflinks in the Art Moderne style of the late 1930s. The abalone is a dark aubergine hue with flashes of red and green. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1935.




Sapphires and Diamonds Elegantly engraved platinum cufflinks set with blue sapphires. and sparkling diamonds. Surrounded by dramatic borders of winged volutes and stylized blossoms. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1920.




Keller Arts & Crafts Gold and blue enamel cufflinks in the Arts & Crafts style. The brightly polished yellow gold centers are surrounded by a captivating border of blue enamel. Crafted in 10kt gold, circa 1910.




Big Bang The brilliance of beautifully engraved platinum and sparkling diamonds. These cufflinks radiate outward like exploding fireworks in the night sky. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1925.




Diamond and Onyx An elegant diamond and onyx dress set from the 1920s. The white gold borders surrounding the black onyx are engraved with a dramatic Art Deco zigzag pattern. Created in 14kt gold, circa 1925.




Big Bang II White gold cufflinks beautifully engraved with a radiating pattern that explodes like a silvery firework in the night sky. Crafted in 14kt white and yellow gold, circa 1925.

We also recently added an elegant Egyptian Revival stickpin
to the Antique Jewelry Gallery.

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

Charles Keller Blue Enamel Cufflinks

Charles Keller gold and blue enamel cufflinks, circa 1925.

Keller Blues

Charles Keller & Company was a prolific maker of fine cufflinks during the early 20th century. Although not as recognized as Carrington & Company or Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss, Keller created beautiful cufflinks in a variety of distinctive styles.

Among the firm's specialties were cufflinks that elegantly accented rich yellow gold with regal blue enamel. The cufflink pictured above is a wonderful example. Set with small diamonds and featuring beautifully engraved centers, the corner's of the cufflink are finished with stylized floral motifs highlighted in vibrant blue enamel.

Charles Keller enamel cufflinks, circa 1925.

The intricately engraved centers are a miniature scene of a rippling body of water with upward striving plants in the foreground. The theme of aquatic flora is repeated in the blue enamel and gold motifs of the corners. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.

Charles Keller 10kt gold cufflinks, circa 1925.

Keller created cufflinks in both 10kt and 14kt gold. The above 10kt gold cufflink features a dramatic star burst or stylized flower head motif. Around the edges an inward-turning stipple pattern is outlined in blue enamel. The lower karatage gives the gold a pale, almost washed out appearance that nicely contrasts with the bolder color of the enamel.

Keller cufflinks often included rich design elements like stylized flower heads and the beautiful plant-and-water scene pictured above. But not always ...

Charles Keller Arts & Crafta cufflinks, circa 1910.

This pair of Keller cufflinks is from the Arts & Crafts period of the early 1900s. The yellow gold centers are polished to a mirror-like finish and surrounded by captivating blue enamel borders. A wonderful example of the simple elegance of Arts & Crafts design.

Close-up of maker's mark.

The maker's mark of Charles Keller & Company is an elongated "C" followed by a "K". Inside the "C" a "10" or "14" indicates the purity of the gold. The maker's mark is usually found stamped on the crossbars (as pictured above) or the reverse of the cufflinks.

Charles Keller & Company was founded in 1885. The firm created gold and platinum cufflinks, lockets and other jewels in a workshop based in Newark, New Jersey. From surviving examples, it is clear the firm created cufflinks in a great variety of styles. Charles Keller & Company remained in business until the early 1930s.

Charles Keller sodalite and gold cufflinks, circa 1925.

In addition to beautiful blue enamels, Charles Keller & Company also created cufflinks set with striking blue gemstones. This blue and gold pair features the exotic gemstone sodalite. The gemstone is reminiscent of a dark night sky with a few wispy clouds illuminated in the moonlight. Along with Lapis lazuli, sodalite was favored by Art Deco jewelry designers because of its intense, rich blue color.

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

Wintry Cufflinks

Wintry Cufflinks

Since the beginning of the year we have had several snow falls. The woods are covered with knee-deep powder that is perfect for snowshoeing and watching the dogs play. In celebration of all the wintry white stuff, I have put together a small collection of platinum and white gold cufflinks that shimmer and sparkle like fresh snow.

Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss frosty octagons, circa 1925.

These brilliant Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss cufflinks sparkle with wintry elegance and pizazz. The frosty white cufflinks feature pendant garlands (mistletoe?) surrounding snowflake-like centers. A dramatic border of boxes and crosses frames the design. Crafted in 14kt white gold, circa 1925.

Heidelshimer diamond and platinum cufflinks, circa 1920.

Elegant early Art Deco cufflinks set with sparkling diamonds. The platinum tops are beautifully engraved with repeating sunrise or wave motifs and surrounded by laurel wreath borders. The diamonds are set in platinum bezels with mille grain edges. Created by Irving Heidelshimer in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1920.

Finely engraved "TH" maker cufflinks, circa 1925.

The finely engraved centers of these cufflinks from the "TH" maker shimmer like fields of fresh snow in early morning sunlight. The Art Deco palmette corners and stylized water lily borders offer a sunny counterpoint to our wintry theme. An elegant pair of cufflinks adapted for all seasons. Created in 14kt white and yellow gold, circa 1925.

Fritschze frosty white gold and diamond cufflinks, circa 1925.

Mysterious marquise-shape cufflinks with dramatically engraved centers and undulating borders of stylized water lilies. A small diamond set in a box setting with mille grain edges sparkles in the center. Created by L. Frtischze & Co. in 14kt white and yellow gold, circa 1925.

Ziething intricately engraved cufflinks, circa 1925.

No note on shimmering wintry cufflinks is complete without a mesmerizing pair of intricately engraved cufflinks by Ziething & Company. Crafted in white gold, these cufflinks almost burst with myriad, exuberant designs. A wonderful example of the early Art Deco passion for rich details and embellished surfaces. Crafted in 10kt white gold, circa 1925.

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

Recent Additions

Recent additions to the Antique Cufflink Gallery include elegant Art Deco jade and gold cufflinks and a trinity of navette-shape (elongated hexagon) cufflinks from the early 1900s.

Jade and Gold The Art Deco era was in love with bold, contrasting colors. These elegant cufflinks feature dark spinach green jade set in brilliant yellow gold. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.




Art Deco Beautiful Art Deco cufflinks with black enamel accents nicely complemented by intricate linear and geometric motifs. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1925.




Midnight Blue Elegant cufflinks with rich blue gemstones that bring to mind dark night skies with a few wispy clouds illuminated in the moonlight. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1920.




Elegant Scrolls Elegant elongated cufflinks with sinuous scrolls and dramatic darts. Designed in the eclectic Beaux Arts style of the early 1900s. Created by Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss in 14kt gold, circa 1910.

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

Mystery of the "TH" Maker Revisited

Mystery of the "TH" Maker Revisited

Irving Heidelsheimer diamond and platinum cufflinks, circa 1920.

I hope everyone is enjoying the best of the Holiday Season and anticipating a happy New Year! December is traditionally the month I try to tie up some of the loose ends cluttering my desk. In that spirit this note relates to the "TH" maker and a recently acquired pair of Heidelsheimer cufflinks.

Several months ago I wrote about "mystery makers" - makers of fine cufflinks about whom we know little beyond the elegant cufflinks they created. One of these unidentified makers is known as the "TH" maker. The sparkling platinum and diamond cufflinks pictured above may shed some light on this mystery firm.

"TH" maker cufflinks with anthemion corners, circa 1925.

The TH maker created elegant double-sided cufflinks during the 1920s and 30s. The above cufflink is a wonderful example from the early Art Deco period. The cufflink features stylized anthemion (palmette) corners with water lily borders surrounding intricately engine turned centers.

"TH" maker's mark.

The TH maker earned its nickname because of the maker's mark found stamped on the cross bars of the cufflinks - a "T" atop an "H". Beneath the maker's mark a "14" indicates the purity of the gold. The TH maker created cufflinks in 14-karat white and yellow gold.

Reverse of TH maker anthemion and water lily cufflinks.

In addition to elegant design and the maker's mark, the cufflinks of the TH maker are also characterized by distinctive cross bars and brackets. The brackets resemble a small bow tie with the edge outlined with an incised channel. The cross bars have tapered waists and elongated, teardrop-shaped eyelets. When the maker's mark is obscured, the distinctive brackets and cross bars can aid in identification.

At the beginning of this note a glittering diamond and platinum cufflink created by Irving Heidelsheimer around 1920 is illustrated. Irving Heidelsheimer (succeeded by Irving Manufacturing Company) was a maker of fine gold jewelry and cufflinks during the early decades of the last century. The firm like many of the fine cufflink makers of the day was based in Newark, New Jersey.

Reverse of Heidelsheimer platinum and diamond cufflinks.

Like the TH cufflink, the reverse of the Heidelsheimer cufflink was crafted in 14kt yellow gold. Even more interesting, the brackets and cross bars of the Heidelsheimer cufflink show a marked similarity to corresponding hardware of the TH cufflink.

Both cufflinks feature the same bow tie style bracket with an incised line shadowing the edge. In addition, the cross bars of the two cufflinks are similar in design with tapered waists and elongated, teardrop-shaped eyelets. A close-up of the cross bar and maker's mark of the Heidelsheimer cufflink is shown below.

Close-up of Heidelsheimer cross bars and maker's mark.

The similarity of the brackets and cross bars strongly suggests that the TH maker and the Heidelsheimer firm were in some way related. But the nature of that relationship remains unclear. Several possibilities suggest themselves:

1. Perhaps, the TH maker was a successor firm to the Irving Manufacturing Company (successor to Irving Heidelsheimer). During this period it was not uncommon for one jewelry firm to absorb another and then continue the designs and patterns of the latter. 2. Or, possibly, Heidelscheimer and the TH maker were one and the same. The "TH" could have been an alternative maker's mark adopted by Heidelsheimer to better fit the small area afforded by the tapered waist of the cross bars. The "H" might have signified "Heidelsheimer". But, then, what of the "T"? 3. A third possibility is that the cross bars and brackets were created by Heidelsheimer and wholesaled as findings (jewelry components) to other jewelry makers. Patent illustrations from 1916 indicate that the Heidelsheimer firm was using this style of crossbar from at least the mid teens. Unfortunately the illustrations don't provide a clear view of the brackets.

Each of these possibilities is no more than speculation. Each points to a direction of further research, but does not currently provide any answers.

When researching antique cufflinks answering one question usually leads to several more. Uncovering one clue leads to another mystery. Such is the endless fascination and mystique of antique jewels.

Heidelsheimer cufflinks, circa 1920.

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

Recent Additions

During the busy holiday season we have added cufflinks set with diamonds, carnelians and moonstones to the Antique Cufflink Gallery. There is also an elegant Carrington dress set glittering with rose-cut diamonds and mother-of-pearl. Warmest wishes to all for the best of the holidays.

Diamond Elegance Elegant early Art Deco cufflinks set with sparkling diamonds. The platinum tops are beautifully engraved and surrounded by laurel wreath borders. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1920.




Carnelian and Gold Alluring sultry Carnelians set in gold. The interplay of the Carnelians' color and the yellow gold gives these cufflinks an inescapable elegance. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1920.




Moonstruck Luminous moonstones glow in the center of these mesmerizing gold cufflinks in the Arts & Crafts style. The bluish cast of the moonstones adds an air of mystery. Created in 14kt gold, circa 1900.




Carrington Elegance An elegant full dress with mother-of-pearl centers surrounded by sparkling halos of rose-cut diamonds. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1925.

In addition to the above cufflinks, I recently added a striking
Carter, Gough Moss Agate stickpin to the Antique Jewelry Gallery.

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