Collecting cuff links...

[gorgekko]

If I didn't have enough addictions, I've recently fallen down the rabbit hole of cuff link collecting. I'm curious, particularly from people like cuffthis, what should budding collectors be looking for?

I realize that taste is subjective, but how about the other factors: quality, age, maker, quantity...that sort of thing? I'm particularly interested in old cuff links but I'd be interested in any insight from any angle on the subject.

 

[Alexander Kabbaz]

I fell into the same rabbit hole about 20 years ago. Now I've got about 300 pair. Except for the intrinsic value of each piece (i.e. gold, platinum, silver) and an occasional collector of a certain type (M-O-P, snap, white gold w/pearl, etc) I haven't found all that much of a market for cufflink collections.
I concentrated on unique antiques and M-O-P link & stud sets. My original intention, being in the business I am in, was to sell them to my clients. I actually made a 6,000+ mile drive across the U.S. and back, stopping in hundreds of antique shops in every small town between NYC and Oregon - and back, looking for unique links. I found many. Bought every pair that I liked. And that became the problem. Every pair is unique. Can't bear to part with a single one.
But ... I have four sons. I figure that's 75 pair each.
Good hunting.

 

[gorgekko]

I'd say 75 each would set them up nicely, ha ha. Good show.

I think I might have to block eBay on my PC...it's an evil web site for anyone trying to stop buying. At any rate, most of the stuff I've picked up is 40s and 50s vintage...deco stuff, things like that. I like the looks of the stuff I've picked up to date, just wondering if I'm overlooking something.

 

[arvi]

make room for me in that rabbit hole..i've bought 10 pair on ebay in the past month..i try to buy double-sided enamel over guilloche form early to mid last century..also a few snap types..i scout ebay daily but am trying to become more discerning.. i like to buy what i would wear

 

[Duveen]

Funny thing - I discovered Ebay in 1998 as I was beginning to build a cufflink collection. I stopped at about 100. I no longer allow myself to visit those pages on Ebay. Too tempting.

 

[AlanC]

i scout ebay daily but am trying to become more discerning.. i like to buy what i would wear

Good advice from Arvi. I think that's a good way to keep perspective on it. I've started with sterling double-sided links. All mine are double-sided, although I don't mind the push through types (with a ball end, etc.) as long as they're not swivel t-bar ends. I have sterling barbell links from Tiffany (gift from my wife) and Brooks Brothers (ebay find, NIB). Also sterling knot links from Jos. A Bank (also ebay, and a steal). Then there are various vintage links, sterling, MOP, etc. Still, I'm under ten pairs at this point. I'll likely add a few more vintage sets, particularly would like a nice gold pair, which will require more of an outlay.

Like Arvi, I scout ebay daily.

 

[arvi]

I'll likely add a few more vintage sets, particularly would like a nice gold pair, which will require more of an outlay

here's an interesting pair i found today... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....MEWA:IT

 

[ROI]

Gene Klompus founded the National Cufflink Society about a decade ago. I've seen him acknowledged (probably on his own authority) as owning the largest collection of cufflinks. Within the last few years, the Society had a website and a newsletter. Gene is a generous-spirited, though, I gather, increasingly infirm gentleman. Here's all the info I could find on the Society. (I can't reach the website.) You might want to give him a call and talk cufflinks. National Cuff Link Society Eugene R. Klompus PO Box 5700 Vernon Hills, IL 60061 847-816-0035 847-816-0035 (Fax) [email protected] http://www.cufflink.com

 

[Renault78law]

Related question:
What the heck does SWANK mean? I see it often on ebay auctions...is it a brand name? Highly regarded?

 

[Duveen]

SWANK is a brand-name from the 1950s. It is not exactly 'high quality' - it was a popular, easily available brand at the time (as were, I believe, Anson and Dante - tho' I think that Dante may date from a later vintage). In an era where nearly everyone wore cufflinks, a cheap mass-producer like Swank could do good business in the mid-price market.

 

[chorse123]

This pair is pretty fantastic: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....c=photo

 

[aybojs]

What about Krementz? That's the other name I see really often in eBay cufflink auctions. I'm imagining they're some sort of vintage brand, though the links by them on eBay seem to range from cheap crap to items of respectable quality.

 

[stuarts8]

Gene Klompus founded the National Cufflink Society about a decade ago. Â I've seen him acknowledged (probably on his own authority) as owning the largest collection of cufflinks. Â Within the last few years, the Society had a website and a newsletter. Â Gene is a generous-spirited, though, I gather, increasingly infirm gentleman. Â Here's all the info I could find on the Society. Â (I can't reach the website.) Â You might want to give him a call and talk cufflinks. National Cuff Link Society Eugene R. Klompus PO Box 5700 Vernon Hills, IL 60061 847-816-0035 847-816-0035 (Fax) [email protected] http://www.cufflink.com

am Not sure if the National Cufflink Society is still going but Gene`s new Website is http://www.justcufflinks.com/ His phone Number is still the same.but the email address has I think changed. Cheers Stuarts8

 

[gorgekko]

This pair is pretty fantastic: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....c=photo

Stop it, damn it. Here I am complaining about my new addiction and you're posting more cuff links for me to drool over.

Those are right purdy though...

 

[anorak]

I have been wanting to start collecting cufflinks. The trouble is all the ones I end up liking costs way more than I am willing to pay.

My favorite pair I have right now are sterling silver fluer de lis' from Mignon Faget.

I found a pair of tortoise shell and gold cufflinks at an antique store but they were close to $3k. I also found a pair of cartier cufflinks that match my cartier watch but they were twice the amount of money I paid for the watch.

I am going to have to start watching ebay, it looks like there has been some nice items on there recently.