Cufflinks - are they period?
I have read that cufflinks were around back in 19th Century, and I have even seen a pair from the 1840's in a museum, but how common were they?
How were they worn? I have read that French cuffs were popular from the 1840's on, but is this true?
I have only seen one period image; it was supposedly from the 1840's.
Besides these, I have seen no other examples.
Additional research has turned up little.
Does anyone know? "Cufflinks - are they period?"
Most Respectfully,
F. J.
~~~~~~~
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
—The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, Chapter V, Verse 1.
Yes, they were around, but I don't know when the ones that we use today with the swivel came about. I'll leave that for Mr. Trent, Mrs. Lawson, or another citizen's authority to answer. I do know that two buttons with a long thread shank between them was used during the period as "cufflinks". I've found mention of them in period tailoring manuals from the 1850's.
Ross L. Lamoreaux
Tampa Bay History Center
www.tampabayhistorycenter.org
"The simplest things, done well, can carry a huge impact" - Karin Timour, 2012
Yes they were around. The ones I have seen dug were usually made of silver and a few were gold plated. Some had engraving and some did not. They consisted of two flats with a bar between them. No adjustments. The flats were usually oval but have seen some round ones. From the frequency I have seen them dug I would generalize that they were only worn by the upper class and are found mostly in early war sites where civilian apparel was likely in use.
Yes, certainly period. Harper's Ferry NHP has several pairs on display, silver, gold, guta purcha, exotic wood... most are like two shank buttons conected by a link.
-Elaine Kessinger
When looking for written references to them in the period, try "sleeve links" rather than "cuff links." Much more common name.
Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com
So, . . . how were they worn?
So, the second question:
How were cufflinks, or sleevelinks, as Mr. Trent has said, worn?
Were French (double) cuffs around, or were links worn with single cuffs?
When were they worn? Formal dress (tails), Business dress (frock), Social dress (morning frock), or what?
Were they strictly evening, or were they not?
Last edited by F J; 10-11-2010 at 05:05 PM. Reason: Incorrect Capitalization
Most Respectfully,
F. J.
~~~~~~~
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
—The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, Chapter V, Verse 1.
I think they were for laundry more than fashion. Shirts also had studs for the bosom, so all the buttons could be removable. That left a shirt that could be boiled within an inch of its life without damaging buttons and also made ironing the bosom and cuffs easy since you didn't need to iron around the buttons.
So any white shirt that needed its bosom and cuffs starched could have them, and women also wore them on their white cuffs too.
As far as how they were most commonly worn, I'm curious about that too. A lot of shirts have the buttonholes close to the sleeve so it makes sense to wear them with the cuff folded back in the middle, otherwise the cuff seems to hang over the hand, with the lower part all open. So I wear the cuffs folded back when the shirt is made like that, but I'm curious what the norm was.
Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com
Boiled-Front (Stiff-Fronted) Shirt?
Mr. Trent,Originally Posted by hanktrent
Are you referring to "boiled-front" (stiff-fronted) shirts?
Also, the following link is the photograph that I mentioned earlier: http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/we...50s_bowtie.gif
(Yes, I know I said it was from the 40's; my mistake.)
On the photograph, examine his right shirt-cuff.
Most Respectfully,
F. J.
~~~~~~~
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
—The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, Chapter V, Verse 1.
Well, yes, I'm referring to just typical white shirts. The typical shirt of the day was boiled, starched and ironed, I believe. (Laundresses, please correct me!)
Yes, that's a good example of a showing cufflink! Now here's a question. What about shirts with double buttonholes (four total, one near the sleeve and one near the end), so you could fold back the cuff and button it through both layers? How common were they in the period, and is it possible to tell which kind the man in the picture has, two buttonholes not folded back, or four buttonholes folded back?Also, the following link is the photograph that I mentioned earlier: http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/we...50s_bowtie.gif
(Yes, I know I said it was from the 40's; my mistake.)
On the photograph, examine his right shirt-cuff.
Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com
Typical Shirt? . . . Then why aren't they reproduced?
After looking over some period photographs of gentlemen in business dress, the only shirt that I have seen in the images were of the boiled-front variety.Well, yes, I'm referring to just typical white shirts. The typical shirt of the day was boiled, starched and ironed, I believe. (Laundresses, please correct me!)
If the typical white dress shirt of the day was "boiled, starched and ironed",
then why is it that none of the clothing vendors reproduce them?
All I have seen them reproduce is the pleated, unstarched variety of dress shirt, with attached collar.
Most Respectfully,
F. J.
~~~~~~~
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
—The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, Chapter V, Verse 1.
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