Estate Fierce Lion Cufflinks

These leonine cufflinks are beautifully crafted with the lions oriented to face in the same direction when worn on the cuff.  Some cufflink makers were not so careful,  resulting in the lions facing in opposite directions.  Link & Angell took great care in designing and crafting their cufflinks.

The cufflinks have another nice feature.  The backs, like the fronts, are decorated with fierce lions, in this case in profile and roaring.

The backs of Victorian cufflinks were often left unfinished or occasionally engraved with the owner's initials.  As a result, the inside of the linked cuff looked plain and uninspired.  To remedy this, cufflink makers created cufflinks with backs elegantly decorated to match the fronts.  Thus, the beauty of the designs and craftsmanship could be appreciated from any direction.

These cufflinks are well constructed.  The decorated tops and backs are connected with sturdy curved bridges.  The bridge securely attaches to the top with a distinctive double "U" bracket favored by Link & Angell.  The maker's attention to finish and small details is highlighted by the elegance and simplicity of the design.

The maker's mark of Link & Angell, three links of a chain enclosing "L", "&" and "A", is stamped on the inside of the backs. Link & Angell was founded by William Link in 1871. The firm created fine gold and sterling cufflinks until the early 1930s. The backs are also marked "14K" for the purity of the gold.

Name:  Regal Lions

Cost:  Although these elegant cufflinks have sold,  you will find many more fine cufflinks in the Antique Cufflink Gallery.

Measurements:  These 14kt gold cufflinks weigh a total of  4.8 grams.  The oval tops measure   11/16" long by  1/2" wide.