A pair of vintage Larter & Sons enamel and gold cufflinks, with red and blue enamel in a geometric design, on rectangular gold plates, mounted in 14ct gold, with the Larter maker's mark and 14K fineness marks on the bar fittings, American, circa 1960.
Larter & Sons, established in 1865 as Davis & Elcox, in Newark, New Jersey, USA. From 1870 to 1873 the company traded as Elcox & Barnet, when William H. Barnet became a partner. The firm was trading as Henry Elcox & Co., in Maiden Lane, New York, from 1873 to 1890. Henry Elcox was in partnership with his brother-in-law, Frederick H. Larter and Horace Bedell. The manufacturing was managed by Elcox and business by Larter. Elcox died in 1890. From 1890 to 1895 the company was called Larter, Elcox & Co., with with Larter, his sister Mrs. A. Elcox, Henry's widow, William Jones and Theo. M. Woodland as partners. Jones and Woodland later left to become Jones & Woodland, in Newark. The company was joined by William D. Elcox, Harry C. Larter and Halsey M. Larter, sons of the senior partners. In 1905 Larter & Sons bought out the interests of the Elcox family. Around 1918-1919 they took over Barry & company, a general jewellery company and at one time a subsidiary firm. Although Larter & Sons had started as a ring manufacturer they branched out into other lines of jewellery, until they specialised in gentleman's jewellery, producing 10, 14 and 18 carat gold and platinum shirt studs, waistcoat buttons, link buttons, bar buttons, signet rings, stone rings, pocket knives, mountings with 14ct gold sides, lockets, 14ct gold clasps, 14ct gold brooches and 10ct gold bar pins. From 1950 they were trading from 88 Parkhurst Street, Newark, New Jersey. The majority interest in the company was bought by a sales manager, George Schuetz, in the early 1930s. The company remained in the Schuetz family, moving to Laurence Harbor, in 1986. After 149 years they closed their doors for the last time, on 26th November, 2014. The mark of their patented fitting can be seen on many fine American cufflinks.
From "American Jewelry Manufacturers", by Dorothy T. Rainwater and National Jeweler.
