Monday 27 February 2012

Princes Playboys and High Class Tarts..........SOLD

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

At revenues of over €1.09 billion last year, the House of Bulgari’s original founder Sotirio Voulgaris and his descendents could very well be larger than the Greek economy itself!!!!

The gifted old Greek jewelller died many years ago but the remaining family did one of the great share market share-swap deals of all time and ended up carrying a large swag of LVMH, one of the worlds largest “luxury” product groups.  Its revenues are a staggering €20.3 billion and if you take a pick of any luxury good, or luxury “house” odds are they own it!!!

One of the great Greek exports (outside of shipping!), The House of Bulgari has for years been the jeweller to the stars.  Our link man for the day can then only be another of Greek extraction, Taki Theodoracopulos or simply TAKI.   A veteran Riviera Man, he is a tennis ace….gossip….jail bird….and a damn fine writer even if his political persuasions are at times are questionable.   Our Link Man at large with Minouche Le Blanc 1975 ............


His classic book Princes Playboys and High Class Tarts delves in to the world of Eurotrash and explores the world of the rich and famous that very few hear of or see.  Life is meant to be about the pursuit of good times without distractions….ie if you have to ask how much it costs you obviously can’t afford it.  Taki’s portrayal of this band of “playboys” and their “tarts” that all live under their own “code” is hilarious….a real eye opener.


Todays links are of course BVLGARI (as it is commonly known) and are worn with a cotton Brooks Brothers shirt and a Lanvin silk neck tie.



Where were the links bought?………Gstaad of course darling…….


Til Later


ONWARD

Thursday 23 February 2012

Our House..........A$145

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

You are all aware of your scribe’s passion for aviation and art deco but we have to add just one more “movement” to that list in my daily diversions…..The School of Bauhaus.

As a school or movement, it was established around the concepts of involving all art forms in the promotion and development of the architectural form.  The Bauhaus themes and styles became one of the most influential currents in modernist architecture and modern design in 20’s and 30’s Germany that spread across the world.  The Bauhaus had an enormous influence on all aspects in art, craft, furniture, architecture, graphic design, interior design, jewellery design, industrial design, and typography.


Our Link Man for the day must therefore be Tom Wolfe….the greatest “dandy” link man you could ever want to find.  Wolfe of course was responsible for some of the great books of our time including The Right Stuff (a must read), the portrayal of Ken Kessey and the Merry Pranksters in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and the classic of the 80’s decade of excess The Bonfire of the Vanities.

But the work that brought him the most criticism was From Bauhaus to Our House.


It was railed as a diminutive work that didn’t understand modern architecture and was rubbished from Robert Hughes down!!!   BUT it is an extremely well written work and well worth the visit just to understand the other side of the modernist architectural debate. 


Today’s links come from an antique store in Germany and although I am unsure as whether they are Bauhaus they certainly embody the spirit and style of Bauhaus. They are solid antique silver with enamel blue inlays and are worn with a tailored cotton shirt and a United Colours of Benetton silk neck tie with Jersey cow motifs.

Til Later


ONWARD

Tuesday 21 February 2012

Freedom..........SOLD

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

For many years your scribe would spend a quiet afternoon on every second Sunday writing letters…yes writing and yes letters.  I would write about the most ordinary things to recipients that I didn’t know and would never meet.  I wrote letters about my garden and my work a day world and my friends which after a page or two of writing would have appeared to be a most mundane existence.  Unless of course you are a prisoner of conscience or a political prisoner with no prospect of visitors or contact with anyone but with the hope of someone looking after your back, like Amnesty International.  My letters were not only to give hope but they were also to show that someone out there actually cared.

For years my letters through AI went anonymously to prisons and concentration camps across the globe to people that were incarcerated for no reason for their political beliefs.  AI is truly committed to defending those who are denied justice or freedom with a vision of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards

In today’s world of course we can twitter and we can blog and we can take all sorts of action on line or in the streets.  I often wonder what ever happened to my letters and where they went…..perhaps to a conscientious objector, a political dissident or a political prisoner stuck in a Gulag somewhere. The thought of being incarcerated without trial or tortured for your beliefs lead me to try and give just a little hope for someone somewhere.



Today’s links are Amnesty Links that a close political commentator friend gave me many years ago…if you have the time try and do a little something for someone, somewhere….it all helps.  The links are worn with a cotton Simon Carter of London shirt and a Gucci silk neck tie.


Nelson Mandela in 1962……released in 1990.



Til Later


ONWARD

Monday 20 February 2012

Where are my Buccaneers​?..........A$25

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

Once again we visit the world of novelty links and today’s were a gift from an associate on “Speak like a pirate day”……rather than wait for that day to come each year, I generally wear them when I am subject to negotiations with a fearsome adversary or business opponent!  So wish me luck today in my business dealings. They are worn with a cotton Savile Row shirt and Chanel anchor motif silk neck tie.


Regardless of Captain Jack Sparrow et al, there is a mystic in the esoteric world of piracy that has intrigued this scribe over the years in his history studies.  These marauding ocean goers unlike their normal social landlubber contemporaries of western society were in fact tribes of a limited democracies.  Pirate communities had ingrained a series of checks and balances to their social stratums that are found in modern democracies today.  They were years ahead of their time.  These communities cared for their wounded and provided financial compensation for injuries sustained in battle, the Captain was elected by its crew rather than selection by class or appointment and their booty was shared equally.  To top it all off a portion of all the loot obtained was placed in to a central fund as a means of buffering during the lean times!!!!

Whilst not an ideal life, it certainly had its attractions over servitude in the Royal Navy and many young seamen opted for the life of adventure of a pirate.

For those banking types, it is speculated that John Pierpont Morgan the American financier and general all round tycoon of the early 2oth Century insisted on being called “JP” so as not to be associated with Henry Morgan the famous pirate!!! They are both our Link men of the Day!



JP


Henry

Til Later


ONWARD

Sunday 19 February 2012

DC 3..........SOLD

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

“There is no where I’d rather be than flying in my DC 3”…..so said Howard Hughes, our Link Man of the day, about his DC 3, our Link Man aircraft of choice for the day!!!


Hughes next to his private DC 3

At the peak of his powers in the 1960’s Hughes controlled major film studios, most military contracts and owned 78% of the stock of Trans World Airlines (TWA) one the great airlines of the golden age of aviation.  For those scanning the financial horizon, when Hughes sold out of his interest of TWA, he netted a profit of $547 Million dollars…..and that’s in 1966 dollars!!!!!  Today, that is worth $3.670 billion dollars.

Always the eccentric, Hughes touched on the lives of all Americans and as the owner of RKO Pictures produced around 30 titles including the original Scarface, The Hells Angels and your scribes favourite Jane Russell in The Outlaw.


As a sufferer of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) he was once described as the best dressed man in aviation, as he was always seen in cuff links and neck tie when flying.  Of course Leonardo DiCaprio played him in the portrayal of Hughes, The Aviator along side another of your scribe’s favourites Cate Blanchett as one of his love interests, Katherine Hepburn.

 At the time of his death in 1976 he was a drug addled recluse in one of his casinos in Las Vegas and managed to leave an estate of $2.5 Billion….$9.57 Billion today!!!!  That is $5.9 Billion dollars he grew his wealth in 10 years in today's money.


Today’s links are small working propellers and were a gift from an aviation buddy many years ago. They are worn with a tailored shirt and a silk Fortnum and Mason neck tie.



Til Later


ONWARD

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Fighting Irish..........A$70

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….


Your scribe receives the occasional comment (a big thanks to you Cufflinkme!) on this blog and yes I do take note but in this particular instance I must make amends.  Having previously mentioned Alma Mater links, a close friend and a graduate from another major educational institution felt that there was an imbalanced and biased view taken by this blog to the Ivy League of the east coast…. I therefore present to you today the Fighting Irish links of Notre Dame University of Indiana to make amends.


We mentioned seating capacity of stadiums in the Calendar blog but your scribe was completely overwhelmed when watching the Notre Dame Fighting Irish V Navy in 1985.  The home stadium seats over 81,000 seats and the annual Navy game is one that ranks amongst the years sporting highlights…..better than the Superbowl as far as this scribe is concerned.  For the record Notre Dame smashed the Navy 41-7 that year and there wasn’t a single bar in town that wasn’t celebrating until the wee small hours of the next day….if not the next week!!!!



Today’s “Fighting Irish” links are pewter four leaf clovers with the word Irish embossed and come from an old dear graduate friend of this great University….Go you Fighting Irish!!! They are worn with a Saigon tailored shirt and my own Alma Mater neck tie.


Til later


ONWARD

Sunday 12 February 2012

Lies.....Lies...............SOLD

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

Mark Twain has probably been attributed to more quotes than any other literary figure in history but the line of “Lies, lies and damn statistics” was most certainly him.  An old friend gave me his autobiography recently and it is a monumental work at over 400 pages…..and that is only Volume One!!!!  He didn’t allow publication or for its release until 100 years after his death, so that he could speak frankly and openly about anyone he wished.  As he said, he would be "dead, and unaware, and indifferent".

What was remarkable about this tome was that Twain actually utilised the most modern of technologies at that time to transcribe his memoirs…..the Dictaphone.  He saw the merits of all new technology and used them to his advantage in any way he could.  Twain reeled out thousands of hours of tape and had as many as six stenographers to type out his work.


Mark Twain playing with electricity in his good friend Nicola Tesla’s laboratory.

For those copyright lawyers amongst us, Twain was years ahead of his time in protecting his works. He had a great fear that when he died that his family would eventually loose income from his works and he lobbied and drew attention to the protection of artists works incessantly as he knew that his works would be popular for many years after the standard 42 years of copyright. “Authors die….publishers don’t”!!!!  Twain added one or two words within his copyright wording that protected his “written and electronic” works…..he was years ahead of his time.

Today’s links bear no relevance whatsoever to Mark Twain however we do return to our initial quote….”Lies…Lies and damn statistics”.  For all of you first year psychology and sociology students that have to bear the pain of Statistics 101 and are starting university in the next week or two our bar chart links are for you….


They are chrome pressed metal with a bar chart motif and were bought in a rambling antique and bric-a-brac shop in Newcastle, Australia.  They are worn with Burberry silk art deco neck tie and cotton Brooks Brother’s shirt.


Til Later


ONWARD

Calendars..........A$180

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

The full and fabulous moon last night had your scribe thinking about the Aztec Calendar and my time in Mexico City.  The Aztec Calendar is a most complex one but intriguing in its use of animal symbols, compass points and climate elements.  With a 365 day cycle it came very close to what we know today with our present calendar system and is similar to the Mayan calendar in the use of a 52 “century” cycle.  Unlike the Mayans though this calendar doesn’t have the world ending later this year!!!

Mexico City is not one for the faint at heart…it’s a hustle and bustle place with the city having over 8 million inhabitants and its greater metro area up towards 21 million.  It is one of the great metropolis’ to visit if you ever get the opportunity.  As a place of history, it was once the centre of commerce and government of the Spanish colonial empire for the entire Latin American region.

When in Mexico City there are the obvious rounds of markets and stalls in the search for cuff link bling and the fantastic culinary delights on offer.  You will encounter some of the finest restaurants and art galleries in the world in Mexico City.  The fine art and culinary delights will test the calibre of any thing on offer in New York, Paris or London.


Today’s links were bought at a small antique store just around the corner from the Plaza de Toros (above)  which incidentally is the largest bull ring in the world and can hold about 50,000 spectators on a hot balmy day of blood sports.


These fantastic and spiritual links are pewter and have the Aztec Calendar embossed and they are worn with a tailored cotton shirt and Chanel silk neck tie.



Til later

ONWARD

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Vessels..........A$45

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

"There is nothing--absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." Ratty in The Wind in the Willows

The spring time adventures of Ratty and Mole on the banks of the Thames (a big hello to Lord Norman Foster of Thames Bank) in The Wind in the Willows was and still is one of your scribe’s favourite books.  Its author Kenneth Grahame spent a career in banking which culminated with him in the position of Secretary of the Bank of England.  On retirement, having worked the financial horizons, he began “messing about with boats” and put pen to paper writing the bed time stories that he had told his son as a child.  Ratty as a character is wonderful and who can resist Mr.Toad.

They say that the acronym BOAT stands for Bring On Another Thousand….and as any poor chap that has every invested in a boat knows, that’s just the start of it!!!!


Your scribe spent some time working in that town that’s so nice they named it twice…New York New York.  On occasions, I was lucky enough to have escaped the rat race of NYC and visited the prestigious Newport Yacht Club to sail or to mess about in motor boats.  Today’s links are chrome propeller blades and come from Newport.  They are worn with a Brooks’s Brothers cotton shirt and a Gianni Versace silk neck tie.



Til later


ONWARD

Monday 6 February 2012

The Art of Craft in a Bleak House..........A$60

One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series….

The world of “craft” has always been an understudy to the world of “art”….and unjustified in the eyes of your scribe.

Handcraft can take the form of metals, wood, porcelain and pottery, glass, fabric and weaving to name a few.  Craft makers have been an important part of humanity’s social fabric for centuries.  When your scribe is “on the road” visiting wineries or simply enjoying the countryside, he always takes time out to visit the local craft community store or gallery.  Whether it’s is a wonderful hand sewn quilt or some fancy blown champagne goblets you are always bound to find some treasure to take home with you.  Your scribe’s favourite haunts include Mudgee and Kangaroo Valley south of Sydney in Australia.


Today’s links come from a gallery space of a seaside town that has been a favourite destination for decades.  To meet the maker of your purchase is one of life’s pleasures.  These are painted wood and always elicit comments from admirers.  The maker described them as seed husks from a native tree that only germinates under the extreme heat of bush fires….these plants can lay dormant for decades waiting for the opportunity that only a bush fire will bring.


Today of course is Charles Dickens Day and let’s spare a moment for arguably the greatest writer of the 19th century.  Always sympathetic for the down trodden, oppressed, sick and the poor, he passed on some many literary masterpieces.  Your scribe’s favourite is Great Expectations.


Til later


ONWARD

Wednesday 1 February 2012

The Chevron..........$55


One man’s mission to share with the world the fine art of cufflinks.

Each blog a different pair and each blog a different story.  Read on in this series....

The Chevron insignia is a universal symbol of heraldry and also that of the “Corporal” in military rank insignia.  Famous Corporals in military history include Corporal O’Reilly in M*A*S*H and of course “The Little Corporal” himself Napoleon Bonaparte or otherwise AKA His Imperial Majesty Napoleon I, By the Grace of God and the Constitutions of the Republic, Emperor of the French.


Defeated at Waterloo by a coalition force(!) he spent his last six years incarcerated at possibly the most remote island in the world, St Helena.  Right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between South America and Africa it is so remote that it doesn’t even have an airport. Napoleon spent his last years gardening and writing his memoirs.


They make for fasciniating reading and are available on line under The Gutenburg Project.  It runs in to four volumes and the chapters relating to the Battle of Waterloo are fascinating particularly his abdication…..”My political life is terminated, and I proclaim  my son under the title of NAPOLEON II EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH.”    

Your scribe has in the past been accused of being a Francophile….I have always driven a French car…..I have a French dog…..I drink Champagne…ah, so be it.


Todays links come from the Marche aux Puces in Paris and are a red glass Chevron motif set in solid silver.  They are worn with a Brooks Brothers cotton shirt and a red silk Gianfranco Ferre neck tie.


Til later


ONWARD