This handsome "dress set"—cufflinks, shirt studs, buttons—was crafted in the Art Deco Thirties, with an eye on the Modernism to come. They were made by the jewelry-maker Larter (Newark, NJ), founded at the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865. Soft squares of black mother-of-pearl are set into rolled-gold mountings for a nice, finished look.
One of the nice things about black mother-of-pearl is its versatility—its ability to complement nearly any color shirting or suiting fabric. The soft, natural iridescence of the shell material reveals a subtle rainbow of colors: blues, grey, reds, pinks, purples, greens, golds. This flexibility makes it a useful accessory, especially for the man who doesn't (yet) have a broad collection of cufflink color options. These cufflinks go with nearly everything! This dress set is the perfect gift for a college graduate, the man starting his first professional job, or for the lad who needs to be fitted for his first suit or sports coat. Versatility, taste and quality which will serve him for decades to come. Click on the photo above to learn more about them.
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 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