Victorian Cufflinks with Diamonds, c. 1900

In the late 19th century, a new, never-before-seen type of piece of jewellery emerged: so-called "novelty jewellery" caused a sensation with new, surprising and previously unthinkable shapes and material combinations: birds suddenly settled on swings and became earrings. Many everyday objects found their way onto the lapels of ladies and gentlemen, such as tennis rackets, golf clubs and stamps, but the technical world was also reflected in this fashion. Machines, miniature automobiles and the new telephone were surprising focal points. The purpose of these items was to provide a starting point for conversation in society. At birthday parties, a brooch with the year of birth of the person being celebrated could be a nice gesture, while a fox brooch could complement the wardrobe on a hunting trip. Even skulls with batteries glowing from their eyes were offered to add a macabre yet cheerful accent to a dinner party. This pair of cufflinks, which came to us from London, belongs to this stylistic environment. The sculpted showpieces each depict the head of a South American Inca with a headscarf and headband. To compare the motif, we have reproduced a print based on a design by the French illustrator Édouard Riou (1833-1900), whose depictions of Inca types from the 19th century are iconographically close. Two small diamonds set subtle, sparkling accents. The pair was crafted from sheet gold over a silver core. Firmly attached, curved bars connect the heads with oval toggles. This form of cufflink was widespread in the years around 1900; comparable cufflinks can be found, for example, in W. Grasser / F. Hemmerle: Kostbare Manschettenknöpfe, Munich 2016, p. 54. The number of different motifs available to fashion-conscious gentlemen at the beginning of the 20th century can be seen at last. A look at the catalog of the French manufacturer Bijou Fix from 1911, for example, shows just how many different designs were available to fashionable men at the beginning of the 20th century. We have reproduced a corresponding page; the entire catalog can be viewed at here to view it.

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