Art Deco Swank Gold-Plate, Abalone Shell, and Pearl Cufflinks With Original Box

If you’re a collector of men’s vintage jewelry and accessories, you likely have a few (or many!) Swank pieces in your possession. Started by Samuel Stone and Maurice Baer, Swank began creating men’s and women’s costume jewelry in 1897, named Attleboro Manufacturing Company, after its location in Attleboro, Mass.

The company started making men’s pieces in 1908 but didn’t begin focusing only on men’s pieces until shortly after World War I. During the war the company created dog tags for the U.S. military and it was this shift in manufacturing that led the company to specialize in men’s jewelry.

The most notable jewelry developed by Swank is cufflinks. The first line of cufflinks created by Swank were called Kum-a-Part, for their unique snap closure. Cufflinks started to become popular again in the 1920s when manufacturers developed pairs of cufflinks that were easy to insert and remove. Swank took advantage of these manufacturing changes and became a powerhouse in the cufflink market. During the 1960s when wearing cufflinks was at its peak, Swank produced 12 million pairs a year. After the huge success of their Kum-a-Part line, they changed their name, officially becoming Swank Products, Inc. in 1936. In 1941 they had a third company change and shorted the name to just Swank, Inc.

Starting in the 1950s the brand began to acquire other companies and styles of manufacturing, expanding into leather goods and other men’s accessories, which in turn made Swank a leader in men’s fashion and style.

In the 1980s the brand had a change of heart and began offering women’s jewelry again, mostly under the label Anne Klein. This foray back into women’s costume jewelry was short-lived, and once again the company does not make women’s jewelry, making Swank’s women’s pieces a little more collectible due to their relative rarity. The company still operates its men’s line today. They also create private labels for designers such as Claiborne, Guess, Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole, Nautica, and Tommy Hilfiger. In 2012 they were purchased by Randa Accessories. Swank continues to produce affordable, fashionable men’s jewelry and accessories.

This truly is a rare find, an Art Deco set of Swank cufflinks and button studs with their original box. In excellent vintage condition, we assume they have only actually been worn a handful of times over the past 95ish years. Even the box itself shows very little wear, just a few scuffs here and there which is remarkable for its age. Perfect for a wedding or any Art Deco collector, these cufflinks will be able to stand the test of time and last another 100 years.

• Circa 1930
• Stamped and tests yellow and white gold plate using a Niton™ XL2 XRF Handheld Precious Metal Analyzer
• Abalone shell, graded gray body color, green and rose overtone, good luster with numerous seed pearl accents
• Cufflinks measure 13/16 x ½ in, studs measure ¾ x 5/16 in.
• Estimated gross weight: 6.7 grams
• Excellent vintage condition, minimal wear appropriate with age, along with minor scratches