Vintage Swank cufflinks tie clip clasp Arts of the World shipping Delft brown / white handpainted sqare windmill scene original box xj-1/abe-1

Brand: Swank

Date, estimate or known: c. 1960s

Description: This cufflink set represents one of Swank's cooperation with another company noted for their quality, as it shows the combination of Swank's great design and manufacturing with the beauty and traditional design of Delft porcelains. The face of each piece is a rectangular brown and white hand-painted Dutch windmill scene, mounted in a goldtone frame. Nicely made and in great condition. The matching tie clip is a miniature of the same design as the cufflinks. They were part of Swank's premiere Arts of the World Collection, their quality and beauty is amazing!

Vintage Men's Swag has one of the largest inventories of vintage Swank Royal Copenhagen; check my shop!

Rarity: 7-8

Metal color: gold tone, probably plated

Condition: very good

Metal composition: alloy

Stone or decorative addition composition: ceramic porcelain

Frame type: toggle, thick shaft

Brand information: Swank
The “King” of brands in the vintage men's costume jewelry game, Swank has a long history as well as high name recognition. The company begain as Atteboro Manufacturing Company in Attleboro, MA in 1897, by Samuel Stone and Maurice Baer, making women's jewelry. Men's jewelry was added in 1908, and during World War I the company produced dog tags in support of the war effort. Swank's first line of men's cufflinks were a unique design called “kum-a-part”, and are a stong collectable today. More cufflink styles were added in the 1920s as the wearing of cufflinks returned to popularity, and in that decade, the name “Swank” was first used in advertising. The company itself became “Swank Products Inc” in 1938 and in 1941 the name was simplified again to “Swank Inc.” In the 1950s the men's accessory market exploded and would grow continually into the 1960s, with Swank riding the wave of popularity. Leather goods and other men's accessories were added in that decade as well. In the 1960s, during the height of popularity of cufflinks and tie accessories, the company produced over 12 million pairs a year, at an average cost of around $2.50 a pair. In 1967 Swank introduced the chain-back tacks, probably based on a recent patent they obtained. They called them “Action Chain”.

The popularity of the brand was driven by the high number of unique styles produced, from very traditional to very artistic and modern. Swank men's pendants and chains, as well as other items, are also moderately common on the market. That variety continues to drive the demand for vintage Swank pieces in the collectables market today.


Frame Types: toggle, (thick shaft or flat shaft), whale back, button back, bean back, bridge back, chain, spool, barbell, yoyo, shirt button, spring shirt button

CONDITION GUIDE FOR MY DESCRIPTIONS: Perfect/New/Mint in Box: The item and or piece of jewelry has no visible flaws and no signs of wear or use. Excellent: The item and or piece of jewelry has evidence of wear. Very Good: The item and or piece of jewelry has small flaws that are not usually noticeable during wear. These flaws could include light scratches on the surfaces of imitation pearls, light scuffs on rhinestones, or light marks on the metal's finish. Good: The item and or piece of jewelry is completely wearable with working hardware. However, the rhinestones may be yellowing or beginning to turn gray (dark spots are visible looking into the stone). Wear may be more visible, and there may be light chipping. Fair/Poor: The item and or piece of jewelry has visible damage that may include dark stones, missing stones, or shipping broken parts. This item should be considered for repair or restoration purposes only.

OTHER NOTES ON LISTING:
The rankings for rarity and condition are based on my personal experience and opinions, and are not to be implied a representation of future value or of resale value.