Original 18th century King George 1st sleeve link, ca. 1714 – 1727, recovered in Upstate NY

Being offered is an 18^th century sleeve link [cuff link]  measuring 10mm with of remnants of a gold-wash on the face, with the image of King George 1^st on the front. It is surrounded by “GEOR….REX”, this stands for GEORGIVS REX which means King George in Latin. On the reverse is the loop used for attachment.

In the 18th century, sleeve links (also called sleeve buttons) were an early form of cufflinks made of two small matching buttons joined together by a short wire loop or chain to fasten narrow shirt cuffs or collar.

In this time period, sleeve links were worn by many officers, members of royalty and the nobility, and with time their popularity grew. They were also valued as gifts for gentlemen and served as a kind of keepsake, but over time became an indispensable accessory for shirt sleeves and collars.  Unlike the buttons of the early years, the materials used were diverse, and the designs became more sophisticated, using gemstones and precious metals.

In the Colonial Williamsburg Museum in Virginia, they have several of these sleeve buttons in their collection (see pictures). It comes in the glass top display case pictured.