We're celebrating the summer by sharing a collection of "sunny" cufflinks—little reminders on-the-cuff of the brightness and warmth which may leave with the season, but will always come back again.
I have described these cufflinks as "Edwardian"—and have dated them to around 1905—but I may have been too conservative in my attempt, not wanting to overstate their age. They might, indeed, be a bit older than this. The company that made them, "Foster & Bailey," was founded in 1873 in Providence, Rhode Island. Jeweler Theodore Foster (first in partnership with Mr. White and then with Mr. Bailey) grew the business from a one floor operation in 1880 to a full building of 275 craftsmen in 1898 (when Foster bought-out Bailey). They made gold-plated and gold-filled jewelry, including men's cufflinks, until the Depression forced them to turn to the manufacturer of cheaper, more utilitarian metal items: compacts, lipstick tubes and other brass "commodity" items. But, before this reckoning, Foster & Bailey supported locations in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. They were know for high-quality, gold-plated jewelry—often embellished with engraving or inset gemstones. They also made personal items of silver.
This handsome pair of cufflinks boast an intricate machine-turned "floral" design—somewhat reminiscent of a radiant sun. The shine of the golden metal (either gold plated or alloyed with other metals) amplifies the sunshine on your sleeve. Click on the photo above to learn more about them.
We have recently added a cache of new cufflinks to our website—and have many more pairs to add in the weeks to come. Please click here to see the entire range of cufflinks for sale at LEO Design.
More radiant, sunny cufflinks tomorrow and in the days to come.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Pittsburgh's historic "Strip District" at Mahla & Co. Antiques (www.mahlaantiques.com) or in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248