Posted 10 years ago
MisterEsot…
(25 items)
Of the 200 pairs of cufflinks that I own, 198 of them hold little monetary value, with the average pair fetching maybe $10-15 on eBay, tops. Some a little more, and many less. I collect vying toward quantity and variety, as opposed to high value or rare/precious metals or gemstones. Most of my collection are Swank, Hickcock, or other value minded brands.
Having said that, I present the only pairs in my collection (that I am aware of) that hold some real monetary value.
The first pair is a vintage set that my wife got me past year on my birthday. It actually came with provenance and a detailed backstory. They are Sterling silver (marked on back) and signed by the artist, Lewittes. The artist, Esther Lewittes, started designing jewelry in the early 1950's and continued through the 1970's. She was based in Southern California, and her jewelry was sold through prominent jewelry stores such as Georg Jensen and others until she finally opened her own store on La Cienega and then Melrose in Downtown Los Angeles. Known for her modernist Sterling Pieces such as these cufflinks, her pieces were completely handmade.
What is an especially nice touch is that they happen to have been monogrammed back when they were originally sold (probably around 1955), and the original owner had my same initials (MH), so they were really a perfect gift.
The second pair was appropriated from my Dad's jewelry box in the 1980's. It is marked 14k gold, and I have had them checked out. They are indeed solid gold. The gemstone is Onyx I believe, but I have not had the stone checked out. I actually very rarely wear these cufflinks. Not because of their value, but because I think they are kinda ugly and a little plain for my taste.
And there you have the only two sets in my collection that are actually worth something other than personal sentimental value to me. Now, back to the Swap Meet fodder...... ;-)
Nice find by your wife, vintage with your initials! And I like your dad's set, classy!
Thanks Jewels! ????
I'm not a big fan of the gold ones. My dad had some ostentatious/gaudy pairs that I prefer over these. They are a bit too "sedate" for me. ????
Ignore the "????." That always autoposts whenever I post from my phone for some reason.
I really am laughing right now! I love how your phone is messing with us! :) The "gaudy" ones would stand out for sure! Do you wear the dollar sign pair? Those are really fun, maybe for the casino :D
I have worn the $ pair a few times. I play poker quite often (in fact I'm playing as I post this) and have some gambler/poker related cufflinks, but they are just so cheesy, I rarely wear them to play. Right now I'm wearing a wrap-around black and gold pair I got at the swap meet last week.
The dollar sign cufflinks actually work both ways for me, as in addition to playing cards at the Vegas casinos often, I also am a banker in real life, so the $, although cheesy, do get some giggles from my clients when I wear them. Maybe I'll wear them when I go in today, since you mentioned it. Haven't worn them in a while. Picked them up on eBay a couple years ago I think.
I think, as you say, they are "cheesy," but you wear them knowing that, and that makes it non-cheesy :) It would be the person who wore them with all seriousness, that couldn't pull it off :)
Fair point. People that wear them "seriously" certainly deserve to be mocked. It is for these reasons that I rarely wear my playing card cufflinks at the poker table. Just gives the impression that you're trying too hard. I'd sooner wear the playing card cufflinks to work versus a poker table. ????
Ah yes, These are fun! Men don't have too many jewelry options and I think cufflinks are best :)
Strong agreement. I can't pull off the unbuttoned shirt with gold chains like Mr. T. The only jewelry I wear is my wedding ring and cufflinks + sometimes tie bar. When I'm feeling especially "Vegas'y", I'll don a pinky ring, but that's a rare situation. ????
Oh no, no unbuttoned shirt with the gold chains! Lol! Wedding ring, and cufflinks (tie bar), that's about good for a man. Some guys like Anthony Bourdain can pull off an earring. I like the description of the vegasy pinky ring! :)
Haha! Thanks. Anthony Bourdain. Awesome reference. Haven't watched "No Reservations" in quite a while, but always enjoyed the show. No earrings for me. I'm pretty old fashioned (as if the cufflink collection doesn't already give that away) and I work for a really conservative bank so, I'm lucky I get away with the over-the-top cufflinks as it is. ;)
That earring says, "this is fried tarantula and I'm not afraid to try it." Lol! Glad you can wear them, I bought a vintage sweater guard and I am totally going to start wearing it! :)
As well you should! I try to wear all my cufflinks in rotation, but of course I have my favorites. I actually wore the "$" sign ones today to work based upon our conversation. I'm easily influenced. ;)
However, when it comes to some of my cufflinks, I should apparently try to avoid wearing them, as they are fraternal order links, and it offends some to wear them if I did not personally earn them (despite them mainly being used as a conversation starter and fashion piece more than anything). I was called out pretty strongly on another post I did, and though I wrote a lucid, clear, and detailed reponse, the CW poster just dubbed my reply as "just justifying wearing them" and he called me "long winded" (which I readily admit, and embrace as both a blessing and an idiosyncrasy).
Check out my S&T post regarding the Shriner's Cufflinks and matching Tie Bar set that I posted when I first joined the board a couple weeks ago, and you'll see what I mean.
Ahhh, I just read it, interesting debate! i love debates! :)
Yes, I should have expected that, actually. I tend to be a bit "politically incorrect" when I'm posting on internet boards or away from work, and I should have taken various sensitivites into consideration prior to posting. It is what it is. I always welcome a difference of opinion and will never delete comments, but the person that is presenting the difference of opinion must accept and be prepared for a thorough response. Though we may end up agreeing to disagree, I never just accept a difference without at defending my point of view. Perhaps the person presenting the difference of opinion will change my point of view. Stranger things have happened, but usually that is admittedly not the case. :)
:) I understand how you feel! This is the only public forum I belong, and although I have been a member for years, I only recently started paying attention--already I had a disagreement with someone here. I never argue in real life, rarely ever, I should say. I was taken aback by a member here. I too welcome all opinions, all welcome and appreciated with me, but, as you said, there will be some defense, as I've come to notice about myself. The member here thought I violated rules, but cw didn't think so, so yeah... :) heathy debates are good with reasonable people :)
We can agree to agree on that one! :)
I have been on internet forums for several years, and used to run a website that had a pretty large one. I got away from all internet boards a couple years ago, but I found this one on Google, and decided to jump in. I found it because I was looking for a Cufflink Collector Club or something along those lines, and CW's pages popped up so I joined. Cufflink collecting has always been a hobby of mine, but in recent months, with work stress and other things reaching a boiling point of sorts, cufflink collecting and all the intricasies that go along with it have been quite cathertic for me. That and the weekly trip to the Swap Meet with my daughter (and sometimes my son) is always a welcome break from the day to day stresses of life.
I think the only rule I have "violated" so far is I accidentally put one of my postings into an incorrect Category, but it was almost immediately caught and corrected.
On my Facebook page, I have an album with individual pictures of each cufflink in my collection. I didn't want to overly flood the show and tell here, so I have been selectively posting a few at a time in a single post. Eventually, I am sure I will get all of them on here. :)
Thanks, as always, for your comments and love!