Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Cufflinks and Accessories: Gold (429)

A very rare pair of Victorian 14K gold bean-back cufflinks, the round faces depicting a young man and woman in Renaissance dress. The face with the man is marked “Romeo” near the border and the lady is marked “Juliette.” Note the French spelling of her name. These same medals occasionally appear in French jewels of the period. Lacking very many good Art Nouveau designers here, American designers sometimes commissioned Parisian jewelers to make certain elements such as the faces of these cufflinks that were later assembled in the U.S. as completed piece of jewelry. At others times, they simply copied the French version. The sharpness in the design, including the lightly stippled background texture, confirms that the faces were made by the original artist in Paris. The connectors are marked with Bippart, Griscom & Osborne’s 14K hallmark.

• Origin: faces, France, ca 1903; remainder, America, ca 1905
• Condition: very good, sharp detail, a small seam separation on one connector bar that doesn't detract from the appearance or utility
• Dimensions: 9/16" diameter
• Weight: 6.4 grams

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 French stirrup-form 18K gold cufflinks formed as interlocking ropetwist links. The cufflinks open at the pointed end and are very easy to put on and remove. Each is stamped with French 18K gold marks and with an unidentified master goldsmith’s mark (“RC” with a bird).

• Origin: France, ca 1965
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 15/16” x 27/32”
• Weight: 13.3 grams(/li>

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

A pair of classic Art Nouveau 14K gold bean-back cufflinks, the faces with repousse decoration depicting a long-haired maiden. The long hair and star-set old European cut diamonds discreetly hide any of her naughty bits. The connectors are stamped “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca 1900
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail
• Dimensions: faces, 3/4" x 9/16”
• Weight: 4.4 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .06 carat

A handsome, classic pair of Edwardian cufflinks by Larter. Worked in 14K yellow gold, the double-sided cufflinks feature faces of carved mother of pearl centered with cabochon sapphires. The mother of pearl shows nice play of color with rose and green overtones that nicely accent the blue sapphires. The connectors are stamped with Larter’s 14K hallmark.

• Origin: America, ca 1915
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 17/32” diameter
• Weight: 5.7 grams
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: 1.32 carat

A handsome pair of 14K gold bean-back cufflinks, the oval faces decorated with dogs, their tails straight and one paw lifted “pointing” in classic hunting pose. The gold surfaces have slightly matte finish. The backs are stamped with Carrington’s 14K mark.

• Origin: America, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, sharp detail, no dings
• Dimensions: faces, 13/16” x 9/16”
• Weight: 7.1 grams

A handsome pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks by Tiffany & Co. set with square cut sapphires. The cufflinks are fashioned in a sort of modified belt buckle motif. The sapphires have very good uniform color and show no indication of heat treatment. The backs are stamped Tiffany & Co. and also have the manufacturing jeweler’s mark for Larter.

• Origin: America, ca. 1940
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 9/16” x 11/16”
• Weight: 13.2 grams
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: 1.0 carat

A handsome pair of 9K yellow gold toggle-back cufflinks, the faces depicting fox heads encircled by horseshoes. The foxes have citrine eyes. All elements are very nicely detailed. The backs are stamped with 9K gold hallmarks, the maker’s mark for Cropp & Farr, and the date mark for 1966.

• Origin: England, 1966
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 5/8” x 9/16”
• Weight: 9.6 grams

A fine pair of French Art Nouveau 18K gold cufflinks, the faces depicting a mythological dragon with a scaly body and feathered wings. The cufflinks are very finely detailed. The back are stamped with French 18K gold marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1890
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 9/19” diameter
• Weight: 9.8 grams

A very fine pair of 14K gold cufflinks set with rubies by Carrington for Tiffany & Co. The square faces feature rounded gold ridges typical of “tank” jewelry from around 1935, flanked by rows of square cut rubies. The rubies are unheated and have inclusions typical of stones from the Mogok region of Burma. The rubies are beautifully matched and have strong red coloring with slight purplish overtones. The faces are joined by bar connectors. Each face is stamped with Carrington’s 14K gold mark, and each of the connectors is stamped Tiffany & Co. Much of Tiffany’s better-quality jewelry was manufactured by the great Newark jewelers such as Carrington. Sometimes, pieces are marked only by Tiffany, and other times they are marked by Tiffany and the manufacturer.

• Origin: America, ca 1935
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: faces, 1/2” x 1/2"
• Weight: 17.2 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 2.32 carats

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

A nice pair of vintage 18K yellow gold cufflinks in the flip-up stirrup style popularized by Cartier in the late 1940s. The circular ends are enhanced with engraved decoration. One end of each cufflink folds for ease in putting them through a cuffhole. The ends of the connectors are set with cabochon rubies. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

• Origin: probably American, ca. 1950
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 5/8" diameter
• Weight: 13.2 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .6 carat.

A handsome pair of double-faced cufflinks, the platinum faces engraved in a basketweave pattern bordered with a ring of white champleve enamel. Each face is centered with a 10-point diamond (J color/SI2 clarity) in a mix of old European and modern brilliant cuts. The faces are joined with arched gold connectors. The connectors are stamped for 18K and the platinum parts are tested and guaranteed platinum.

• Origin: likely Switzerland, ca 1955
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 5/8” diameter
• Weight: 14.6 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .40 carat

A very handsome and heavy pair of double-sided 18K gold cufflinks, the oval faces decorated with stripes of engine-turned engraving and translucent royal blue guilloche enamel. The faces are joined by chains. Both the faces and the individual chain links are fully marked for Sheffield, 1905 and have an unidentified maker’s mark.

• Origin: Sheffield, England, 1905
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions; faces, 3/4” x 9/16”
• Weight: 11.0 grams

A classically elegant six-piece dress set worked in abalone mother-of-pearl, 14K yellow gold, platinum, and seed pearls. The cufflinks are double sided, with oval abalone plaques surrounded by engine-turned platinum borders. Each face is centered with a small seed pearl. The abalone has very fine luster with a nice play of green, rose, and a little orange flashes when caught in direct light. The four matching shirt studs have round faces. Each piece is stamped with Larter's hallmark. The set is sold in an old, though not original, leather-covered dress set box.

• Origin: America, ca. 1915
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: cufflinks, 3/4" x 1/2"; studs, 1/2" diameter.
• Weight: 15.7 grams.

A vintage pair of 14K gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with blue sapphires by Tiffany & Co. The faces are engraved in a geometric rayed pattern for a little extra sparkle. The faces are joined by bar connectors, one of which is marked “Tiffany & Co.” Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1950
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 5/8” diameter
• Approximate Total Sapphire Weight: .60 carat
• Weight: 14.1 grams

A heavy pair of mid-century double-sided cufflinks, the faces woven from gold rope. The overall look is similar to the Parisian work of Georges Lenfant. The back faces are smaller for ease in putting them through the cuff. The faces are joined by figure-8 connectors stamped “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1965
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: larger faces, 1/2” x 1/2" x 1/2”; smaller faces 3/8” x 3/8” x 3/8”
• Weight: 23.4 grams