Posted 11 years ago
texavier
(1 item)
recent attic find in California.
Appear to be near mint 14k turn of the century gold and pearl cufflinks from Marcus and Co. The sliding mechanism on the cufflinks work perfectly. They are stamped 14 and have outline sketch of cufflink stamped on bar. On the short downward stem, there is a stamped star (*).
The brown felt box with light teal lining reads:
Marcus and Co.
Jewelers
5th Ave cor. 45th st
New York
I have enjoyed reading the history of this company on the internet, but would love to learn anything else from you experts out there
Nice piece! However, these are no cufflinks but shirt studs. They were used at the shirt front at black or white tie events. They might date to 1910 to approx. 1940 although those studs would be used until the 1950ies. After then shirt studs disappeared more and more.
Like Fred Astaire sings in "Top hat, white tie and tails":
"I'm puttin' on my top hat,
Tyin' up my white tie,
Brushin' off my tails.
I'm dudin' up my shirt front,
Puttin' in the shirt studs,
Polishin' my nails,
I'm steppin' out, my dear,
To breathe an atmosphere
That simply reeks with class..."
:)
I'll bet ya any money those are natural pearls, too. Nice!