Along the SEASHORE of NEW ENGLAND C 1690 STUART CUFFLINKS...

Whydah · Nov 7, 2014

As most of you know me from the Surf Forum... I haven't been posting because of not much in the way of erosion here in Mass... so I have done what everyone else has done... Went to the fields.. Glad I did... about a month or so ago, I had the opportunity to do some field hunting... Went to an area that dates back to the early Colonial Days... got a few Indian Head Pennies and a Conn. Copper that is just perfect.... and these CUFFLINKS...They are Sterling and VERY RARE.. Although I have seen only one other pair here on the net, and have met the man that found them. He was very informative of my pair......His were found in RI...Mine were found from an area that the PILGRIMS lived, and harvested their fields..Can't even tell you the feeling I had when I found out what exactly I had when I got back to the truck...These were found about 13 inches deep. They are very rare and don't come around very often... Place of Creation,Object Place, England or America, Height x width x depth: 1.2 x 1.2 x 0.9 cm (1/2 x 1/2 x 3/8 in.) Sterling Silver, Quartz, 24 K Gold, and Textile... This is 1/2 pair of square Sterling Silver and quartz cuff links, each composed to two ornamental buttons connected by a figure eight silver link. Underneath the faceted crystal is a fine gold twisted cord or wire with a trefoil design covering a small square of dark woven textile mounted on foil which has been painted light Blue. All I can say is you just NEVER know what your going to find...Keep digging...

Whydah · Nov 9, 2014

Stuart crystals are a form of 17th and 18th century mourning jewelry. Stuart crystals get their names from the House of Stuart. The crystals were pieces of political jewelry that commemorate the execution of King Charles I in 1649. The first jewels were made from locks of King Charles’ hair preserved under faceted rock crystal (quartz), often decorated with his initials or miniature portrait. They were worn by Royalists who opposed the king’s execution on the grounds that as God’s chosen leader, Charles I was above the law and his death was not justice, but murder. Later, the crystals were adopted by Jacobites who opposed the deposition of James II and the Stuart monarchy in 1688. Since supporting fallen monarchs was dangerous, many Stuart crystals are small and were worn in secret. However, as the 17th century continued, Stuart crystals evolved into mementos mori and generalized commemorative jewelry. They remained popular into the 18th century until larger, more neoclassical jewelry came into fashion.
Description
Stuart crystals come in three main forms: slides, rings, and earrings. Original Stuart crystals were rings or ribbon slides, but many were later converted into other types of jewelry. Stuart crystals almost always contain hair, often woven so finely it appears like cloth.

In addition to hair, a Stuart crystal may contain gold initials, filigree designs, colored foil, portrait miniatures, and enameled symbols. Skeletons, skulls, doves, angels, cherubs or putti, and flowers are the most common type of symbolic charms found inside Stuart crystals

rsilva02667 · Nov 24, 2014

Cool cuff links whydah! Where in mass are you from? I'm on the cape.

BARKER · Nov 24, 2014

Hi Whydah; I hereby nominate these for BANNER due to their Rarity. You may only find those ONCE in a Life Time. Great Finds. PEACE:RONB :headbang:

PS: I'm in Boston.

Whydah · Nov 24, 2014

BARKER said:
Hi Whydah; I hereby nominate these for BANNER due to their Rarity. You may only find those ONCE in a Life Time. Great Finds. PEACE:RONB
PS: I'm in Boston.

thanks in advance...still hoping they make it up top.....I see one other pair that made of....so we will see...

worldtalker · Nov 25, 2014

I had not seen this post...but,my banner vote went in!!

I got a square inch of Ell River Reserve back in the early 80's.

Wonder if I could detect there.

GOD Bless

Chris