Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Cufflinks and Accessories (503)

Of the thousands of cufflinks we’ve handled over the years, this is the first pair of Art Nouveau bean-back cufflinks we’ve ever seen that have a matching design worked on both the primary face and the bean back. The 14K yellow gold links are worked with a repousse design of a maiden wearing an ornate headdress filled with the scrolls and whiplash curves typical of Art Nouveau design. The connectors are hallmarked by Krementz and are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original, sharp details. Size: large faces, 3/4” x 9/16; small faces, 1/2” x 3/8”. Weight: 5.2 grams.

A handsome pair of double-sided cufflinks featuring oval agate cabochons collet-set in 10K yellow gold. The stones are an interesting honey color streaked with rust and gray. The connectors are marked “10K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3/4" x 3/8”.

Red speckles stand out brightly against the dark greenish-black background of the bloodstone plaques featured in this pair of double-sided Victorian cufflinks by Larter. NOTE: the color contrast is more apparent in person than shown in the photos due to the reflectivity of the stones. Bloodstone, or Jasper, is also considered to be the "traditional" birthstone for March, while Aquamarine is considered to be the "modern" birthstone for March. Bloodstone is aligned with the Zodiac sign of Aries and is noted for its "healing properties." The stones are edged in 14K yellow gold borders engraved with a foliate motif. The oval faces are attached with figure-eight connectors signed with Larter's hallmark.

• America, ca. 1900.
• Excellent condition; all original.
• 5/8" x 1/2" (faces).
• 7.2 grams.

An exceptional pair of Edwardian 14K yellow gold double-faced cufflinks by Carrington. Each of the cufflinks features one face centered with an old European cut diamond and on face with a round cut blue sapphire. The stones are surrounded by a band of opaque royal blue champlevé enamel enclosed within a laurel wreath border. This design is really one of the most elegantly sophisticated we’ve seen any of the classic Newark makers. The gemstones are of very good color and clarity. The backs are marked 14K and have Carrington’s hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original, no enamel damage. Size: 19/32” diameter. Weight: 9.3 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .18 carat; sapphire, .23 carat.

A nice pair of Edwardian 14K yellow gold cufflinks. The rectangular faces have curved sides. One face of each cufflinks has nice engine-turned and floral engraving. The other faces have a plain surface with an engraved border perfect for a monogram. The connectors are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no monogram. Size: 5/8” x 15/32”. Weight: 3.5 grams.

A rare pair of Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold bean-back cufflinks, the oval faces with repousse decoration representing Poseidon (“Neptune”), god of the sea. The god is identifiable by the trident that forms his crown. The background at first appears to be a simple stippled pattern, but careful examination shows that the background is actually worked in a very fine pattern of fish scales. Mythollogical subjects were very popular in men’s jewelry at the end of the 19th century, but this is the first time we’ve seen cufflinks with the image of Poseidon. The bean backs are marked by an unidentified American maker and are stamped “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no dings. Size: 11/16” x 1/2". Weight: 5.3 grams.

A wonderful pair of Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold cufflinks by Tiffany & Co. The faces feature finely detailed images of a bearded, horned devil with pointed ears and wild hair shown against a fiery background. The workmanship of the chasing and engraving is superb. Mythological subjects were especially popular during the Art Nouveau period, and certainly this devil's head could be seen as an extension of that popularity. The faces are attached to plain oval backs, which have never been engraved with a monogram. Each cufflink is signed with the Tiffany & Co. mark used around 1900 and is marked for 18K.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Dimensions: 3/4 x 3/8". Weight: 10.4 grams.

A handsome pair of French silver Art Nouveau cufflinks, the faces decorated with a young woman against a spider web background. In Art Nouveau jewelry, the spider web motif was meant to symbolize entrapment and danger—in this case as a counterpoint to the maiden who suggests innocence. The outer edges of the faces follow the geometric shape of the spider web at the top, but are more rounded at the bottom of the design where the woman’s hair and clothing flows. The faces are connected with chains to torpedo backs engraved in a whiplash curve motif. The cufflinks are illegibly stamped with the maker’s mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, all original, very good detail. Dimensions: front faces, 9/16” diameter. Weight: 3.9 gr.

A beautiful dress set comprising two double-sided cufflinks and three shirt studs, the round faces set with abalone disks encircled by platinum borders. The abalone has fine guilloche carving in a chrysanthemum pattern and the platinum borders are decorated with an engraved laurel wreath design. The abalone has very nice luster with overtones of rose and green. Abalone cufflinks are richer looking and much more uncommon than mother-of-pearl. The backs of each piece are stamped with the Larter hallmark.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: cufflinks, 14 mm (9/16 in) diameter; studs, 8 mm (5/16 in) diameter. Weight: 8.7 gr.

Extraordinary pair of early Cartier cufflinks, the round faces featuring brilliant green guilloche enamel in a starburst pattern, bordered with rose-cut diamonds set in delicate double-milgrained platinum borders. The enamel plaques are engraved in a manner that gives the enamel a distinct two-toned appearance and are set into 18K yellow gold backs that are attached to one another with gold chain links. The chains have a spring ring clasp, so one face can be removed for ease in attaching the cufflinks to a shirt. The backs are signed "Cartier Paris" and have serial numbers. The cufflinks are appropriately marked with "tete d'aigle" hallmarks for 18K gold (the cufflinks predate the law requiring marks for platinum). Enameled Cartier cufflinks of this quality simply do not appear on the market.

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, light surface wear to enamel visible under 10x magnification. Weight: 9.9 gr. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 1.52 cts.

An elegant pair of 18K yellow gold Art Nouveau cufflinks set with rose and single cut diamonds. The cufflinks have a classic design of whiplash curves typical of Art Nouveau jewelry. They are worked in both slightly matte bloomed and polished textures for added interest. The torpedo backs are connected by wired bridges. The cufflinks are stamped with French import marks, apparently those used for temporary admission into the country so they could be displayed at one of the international design salons around the turn of the 20th century.

• Origin: Continental Europe, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions, faces, 3/4" x 13/32”
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .66 carat
• Weight: 6.5 grams

A handsome pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with cabochon agates. The variety of agate is called “landscape agate” because the colors and markings resemble painted landscapes. These particular stones suggest colorful sunsets behind wooded landscapes. The bezel settings are finished with fine millegraining. The connectors are marked 14K and have an unknown American maker’s mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Size: 5/8” x 9/16”. Weight: 10.4 grams.

A very handsome pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces fashioned as greyhounds' heads shown in profile. Each dog's head is nicely detailed with fur and a leather collar. The faces are connected to torpedo backs with chains. One cufflink is signed "A. Pospisil". Tested and guaranteed at least 18K, and more likely in the 19-20K range.

Origin: Europe, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail, all original. Size: 9/16" x 3/8". Weight: 5.7 gr.

A superb pair of 14K yellow gold bean-back cufflinks by Carter, Gough & Co., the faces decorated with a representation of Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus.” The jeweler took a few liberties with Botticelli’s design by having the goddess walking atop roiling waves rather than standing in a scallop shell, and fully baring her breasts instead of modestly covering them with her own flowing hair. The bean backs are designed with a swirling pattern that mimics the waves of the front faces. The connectors are stamped with Carter, Gough’s 14K hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Dimensions: faces, 13/16” x 1/2"
• Weight: 6.7 grams

French Art Nouveau 18K gold and sapphire cufflinks, the triangular faces pierced in a decoration of stylized flowers and set at the centers with cabochon blue sapphires. The gold surface has a very handsome matte finish that allows the sapphires to shine. The connectors are stamped with French 18K marks and an unidentified maker's mark (SAS).

• France, ca 1895.
• Excellent condition; sharp detail.
• 5/8" x 5/8".
• 7.3 grams.
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: 1.04 carat.

A fine pair of French Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold cufflinks in the form of sinuously curved griffins. Mythological creatures such as griffins and dragons were a particularly popular subject matter for French jewelers of the era. The creatures are finely worked with excellent detail to the scales and other features. The chain connectors are fully hallmarked with French 18K hallmarks and with an unidentified maker's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Size: 9/16" x 7/16". Weight: 9.5 grams.

A very attractive pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold bean-back cufflinks finished in the softly bloomed “Russian” finish popular in pieces from the Art Nouveau era. The oval faces are simply finished with a beaded border and are star-set with small round brilliant cut rhodolite garnets. The stones have a very pleasing strongly purplish-red hue, easily mistaken for ruby. The backs are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Size: 3/4” x 9/16”. Weight: 6.8 grams.

A stunning pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold double-faced cufflinks, each face comprising a large oval mixed-cut rhodolite garnet set in a foliate-engraved border. The garnets have the lovely reddish-purple hue so prized in rhodolites. The faces are connected by chains and are fully hallmarked with French “tete d’aigle” hallmarks for 18K gold.

Origin: France, ca. 1880. Condition: excellent. Size: 19/32” x 7/16”. Weight: 6.6 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 9.36 carats.