Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Cufflinks and Accessories (503)

A heavy, outstanding pair of Victorian figural cufflinks in the form of acorns and oak branches, all worked in 14K yellow gold. The larger front faces are fashioned as highly detailed acorns, while the backs are branches. The quality of engraving is excellent and really brings out the subtlest textural details. In the Victorian "language of flowers", the acorn symbolized life and immortality while the oak tree and its branches represented strength and virility. The faces are joined by their original chain connectors. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: acorns, 27/32" x 15/32". Weight: 11.7 grams.

An extraordinary pair of French Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold enameled cufflinks, the faces featuring flowers bearing a secret message. In Victorian symbology, the daisy represented "innocence" or "purity", whereas the red poppy meant "pleasure". Taken together, the choice of flowers in these cufflinks was certainly intended to convey an erotic sentiment. The faces are beautifully hand-pierced and highlighted with translucent enamels in delicate shades of green, rosy red and whitish-yellow. The exposed areas of gold are worked in the semi-matte Russian finish popular in better quality Art Nouveau jewels. Each face is marked with the "tete d'aigle" for 18K.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent; a couple of extremely minor enamel flakes under magnification. Dimensions: 9/16" diameter. Weight: 10.8 grams.

A pair of Victorian cufflinks in 14K rose gold, each face set with a faceted amethyst cabochon. Cufflinks of this type almost always use plain cabochons and the use of foil-backed faceted amethysts here is particularly attractive. The faces are joined by solid oval links. The backs are marked for 14K.

• America, ca 1890
• Excellent condition
• Faces, 5/8" x 5/16" (16 x 8 mm)
• 6.2 grams
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 11.96 carats

A very rare pair of 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces designed as fearsome lion-like gargoyles. Each snarling mouth grasps an old mine cut diamond, and the eyes are set with small emerald cabochons. The fur is pierced and detailed in a way that suggests the stone fretwork of Gothic cathedrals. The faces are joined by arch connectors to bean backs. The connectors are stamped with the mark for Schira Bros. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1 x 9/16 inch. Weight: 8.6 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .16 carat.

A pair of handsome 18K yellow gold cufflinks designed in an Art Nouveau interpretation of Gothic Revival. The heavy pierced front faces are reminiscent of the ornate carved stone bosses at the interesections of the ceiling ribs in a Gothic vaulted ceiling, while the back faces are pure Art Nouveau with whiplash curves. The pairing makes for a very attractive combination. The backs of the faces and the chains are stamped with French 18K marks.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: front faces, 5/8" x 5/8"; back faces, 1/4" x 7/8". Weight: 9.3 gr.

An elegant pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold cufflinks, the baton faces very finely and ornately engraved in a foliate pattern. The faces are joined by chains. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Ca. 1875. Condition: excellent, all original, sharp detail. Dimensions: faces, 11/16” long. Weight: 5.6 gr.

A very attractive pair of Napoleon III 18K yellow gold cufflinks, the canted square faces studded with round mixed-cut rubies and old mine cut diamonds. The rubies are in the finest color-range, with strongly saturated, very slightly purplish-red hue. The nature of the inclusions in the stones suggests they are Burmese in origin. The diamonds are of similarly fine quality. The gold surface has a very subtle texturizing treatment that suggests moiré silk. The connectors are marked with a variety of French 18K hallmarks, including that of the guarantee office in Nancy and the “tete de Mercure” mark used 1840-1879.

Origin: France, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent. Size: 1/2” x 1/2”. Weight: 10.4 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .128 ct; diamond, .112 ct.

A very nice pair of Victorian double-faced 14K yellow gold cufflinks, the oval faces set with trios of diamonds, rubies and sapphires. The diamonds are old mine cut, while the sapphires and rubies are cabochons. The colored stones are of very good color and show now indications of heat treatment. The gold surfaces are worked with the slightly matte Russian finish popular for higher quality jewelry of the period. Jewelry set with red, white and blue gemstones tended to gain popularity around key anniversaries or important events in American history. It is likely that these cufflinks date to the centennial year of 1876. The back of each face is marked 14K and has an unidentified maker's mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1876. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 21/32" x 13/32". Weight: 7.9 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .16 ct; sapphire, .23 ct; ruby, .23 ct.

A very good and unusually heavy pair of Victorian yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the oval faces studded with rose cut diamonds and antique cushion cut blue sapphires in star settings. The gemstones are set in alternating rows for visual interest. The sapphires have vivid medium-dark violetish-blue color with excellent clarity and show no indications of heat treatment. The diamonds are lively with nice color and clarity. The gold is treated to the slightly matte Russian finish that was popular in better jewelry at the end of the 19th century. The cufflinks are unmarked, but are guaranteed to be at least 18K. Testing suggests they are more likely 19-20K, but definitely lower than 22K.

Ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3/4” x 1/2". Weight: 12.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .24 carat; sapphire, .72 carat.

An outstanding pair of Napoleon III 18K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces fashioned from carved rhodolite garnets centering small collet-set natural pearls. The garnets have a strong purplish color and excellent clarity. The edge of each face is accented with scalloped ropework border. The faces are joined by figure-8 connectors. Stamped with French 18K gold hallmarks.

Origin: France, ca. 1860. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 9/16" diameter. Weight: 6.49 grams.

A heavy pair of 14K gold cufflinks, the faces decorated with a sort of shield-shaped device against a stippled background. The influence of the Art Nouveau aesthetic can be seen in the assymetrical design of the shields. The semi-matte finish of the stippling contrasts nicely with the more polished shield. The backs marked "14K" and have Kirby's hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 11/16" x 1/2"
• Weight: 9.8 grams

Very nice pair of Victorian 14K gold cufflinks in the Arts & Crafts or Aesthetic style. The simple engraved decoration of the gold faces, suggestive of a Celtic design, is typical of jewelry in the Aesthetic taste, as is the use of matrix gemstones such as turquoise. These stones were valued more for their appearance than for their intrinsic worth--another characteristic of Aesthetic jewelry. The back faces are plain gold. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Ca 1870. Condition: excellent, all original, no monograms. Size: 3/4” x 21/32”. Weight: 7.0 grams.

A beautiful pair of late Victorian 14K yellow gold cufflinks set with cat’s-eye chrysoberyls by M. Nosey Dragon & Co. of Tientsin (now Tianjin), China. Each chrysoberyl is surrounded by a finely detailed gold dragon, complete with scales, claws and whiskers. The chrysoberyls are unusually dark, tending toward a grayish-green instead of the more common golden brown. The cat’s-eye effect is very strong. The faces are connected with chains to torpedo backs signed “Nosey” and marked “K14”. The cufflinks are presented in their original fitted velvet and silk box imprinted with the maker’s name. The port city of Tientsin was opened by treaty with France and England in 1860 and became one of the most important trading and tourism cities in Eastern Asia. Fine jewelry, Chinese antiquities and other goods were readily available to wealthy visitors.

Origin: China, ca. 1895. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3/4” X 1/2". Weight: 8.4 grams.

A superb pair of late Victorian 14K yellow gold double-faced cufflinks, each face set with a carnelian cabochon. The settings are in a style combining both Aesthetic and Architectural Revival elements. The gold surfaces, worked in the matte Russian finish often seen in Art Nouveau jewels, contrasts beautifully with the rich rust colors of the carnelians. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 9/16” diameter. Weight: 9.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 8.0 carats.

An elegant pair of Art Nouveau floral double-sided floral cufflinks worked in 20K yellow gold. The faces are very finely hand-chased with an ornate pattern of daisies. The high gold content gives the cufflinks are very bright yellow color and heavy weight. The connecting chains are marked with an illegible maker's mark and a continental European mark for 20K.

Origin: Europe, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 13/16" x 11/32". Weight: 7.8 grams.

An elegant pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks in a style blending elements of Aesthetic and Art Nouveau design. The round faces are decorated with a finely-pierced design of grapevines complete with clusters of fruit. The faces are joined by chains to torpedo backs. These would be a wonderful gift for the true wine lover and connoisseur. Fully marked with French hallmarks for 18K.

Origin: France, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent; sharp detail. Size: 9/16” diameter. Weight: 5.8 grams.

Attractive Victorian 14K yellow gold double-faced cufflinks. Each face is in a figure-eight shape enclosed in an outer oval border. Collet-set Persian turquoise cabochons center each face. The faces are joined by chains. Indistinctly hallmarked. Tested and guaranteed at least 14K.

Circa 1870

Condition: excellent, all original

Dimensions: 5/8” x 7/16”

Weight: 9.5 grams.

Very nice Victorian sterling silver doubled-faced cufflinks decorated with Classical medallions in the Shiebler style. The medallions depict are Greek in style and depict and adult man and a youth in profile. The backgrounds are stippled and the edges are beveled and irregularly shaped to suggest antiquity. The backs are marked "Sterling".

Origin: America, circa 1880. Condition: excellent, very sharp detail. Size: approximately 7/8" diameter. Weight: 12.5 grams.