Fierce Lion-Eagle Cufflinks
Roaring Lions! |
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The Victorians were fascinated with a menagerie of imagined and fantastic creatures - griffins, basilisks, dragons, serpents etc... This interest in mythological beasts continued into the early 20th century and was often reflected in the cufflinks and stickpins of the era. This pair of gold cufflinks features a fiercely roaring lion dramatically sculpted in profile. Created by Wordley, Allsop & Bliss in 14kt gold, circa 1910.
 But, the roaring lion is not an ordinary lion. He sports several avian features - a feather-like mane and wing-like "ears". The beast is a hybrid of a lion and probably an eagle - a mythological unification of the king of the jungle and the lord of the air. I debated whether to title these cufflinks "Roaring Lions" or "Screaming Eagles".
 The backs of the cufflinks are as nicely crafted as the fronts. The solid tops are attached to oval backs with sturdy curved bridges. The curve of the bridges helps assure that the links remain properly oriented on the cuff.
 Visible on the curved bridges is the maker's mark of Wordley, Allsopp and Bliss ("WAB") partially obscured by the round profile of the bridge. To the right of the maker's mark is "14" for the purity of the gold. Wordley, Allsopp and Bliss was a maker of exceptional cufflinks and fine jewelry during the early years of the 20th century.
Name: Roaring Lions!
Here are a few more elegant cufflinks from the past ...
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