18th Century Sleeve Links
Last updated: Jan 7, 2024
A pair of shank-buttons linked together for the cuff of a lady’s shift or a man’s shirt. Also called “sleeve buttons,” and sometimes (in modern descriptions) as cufflinks.
This notebook page is divided into three sections: extant examples of sleeve links, portraits and illustrations of men and women wearing sleeve links, and places where you can buy your own sleeve links.
A more precise description from Diagnostic Artifacts in Maryland: “button-like clothing attachments that were not actually sewn to the garment. For the most part, this category consists of pairs of buttons attached by a metal chain link or bar, known today as cufflinks. Each button could be inserted into a buttonhole, and the tension between the two buttons connected by the metal link would hold the garment together.”
Gold sleeve-buttons appear in wills (for example, the wills of William Burnham, 1764, Thomas Fisher, 1771, and John Barclay, 1779).
- Queen Anne cufflink found on the Thames foreshore
- V&A M.30&A-1960, “gold, set with a cipher in gold wire under crystal,” early 18th century
- Winterthur 1953.0165.001 A and 1953.0165.001 B, silver sleeve buttons made by Francis Richardson in Philadelphia, 18th century
- Winterthur 2000.0048.001 and 2000.0048.002, gold engraved sleeve buttons made in Boston, 1720-1750
- Yale University Art Gallery 1959.17.2a-b, a pair of round gold sleeve buttons with engraved rosettes made by Paul Revere Sr. in Boston, c. 1725-1735
- V&A 962-1864, agate set in silver, mid-18th century
- Met 40.53.1 and 40.53.2, octagonal gold sleeve buttons engraved with rosettes, probably made by Jonathan Clarke in Providence or Newport, Rhode Island, c. 1740
- Pair of gold cuff links attached to a card indicating that they were “Given by Prince Charles Edward to Flora Macdonald during his flight AD 1746”
- MFA 62.959a and 62.959b, octagonal gold sleeve buttons with rolled edges and engraved with stylized rosettes, made in Boston c. 1750
- Met 67.82.1, octagonal gold sleeve button made by William Simpkins in Boston, c. 1750
- Met 67.82.2, round gold sleeve button with floral engraving, c. 1750
- Winterthur 1952.0276.001, octagonal gold engraved sleeve button made by James Butler in Boston, 1751-1776
- Portrait of the artist’s son as a boy by Philip Mercier, 1756
- Historic New England 1932.507ab, square cuff links “composed of quartz with beveled edges and red foil back, center features two gold interlocking Cs within a gold frame, all set in gold and connected with S link,” c. 1760-1800
- Historic New England 1927.830, square cuff links “composed of pastes with beveled edges set over a red foil back. The center features a gold wire pseudo-cipher, all set in silver and connected with an S link.” c. 1760-1800
- MFA 1978.428, a child’s linen shirt with “gold double button cuff links with incised blossoms,” Boston, c. 1764
- Cooper Hewitt 1916-29-40-a,b, silver oval links engraved with initials
- Met 59.173.1 and 59.173.2, engraved gold oval links made by Daniel Rogers in Newport, Rhode Island, c. 1770-1792
- Winterthur 1962.0236.001 and 1962.0236.002, silver sleeve buttons engraved with the initials E M, made in England or the United States, c. 1770-1800
- A Campaign Button of the 18th-Century (Or was it?) - a glass inset for a button molded with PHIPPS AND DELAVAL, made in 1774, found in Baltimore County, Maryland
- Colonial Williamsburg 2007-103, two-button “Tallio” brass sleeve links, made in England c. 1775
- William Paca’s “Sleeve Buttons,” which are also brass “Tallio” buttons
- NT 1298809.1, NT 1298809.2, and NT 1298809.3, 18th century gold sleeve links inscribed with 'John Egerton' under faceted crystal
- 18th century sleeve buttons found in Harvard Yard
- Lady’s Repository Museum: Rare 18th c Sleeve Links, mother of pearl buttons joined with a linen thread
- Historic New England 1932.80ab, “pair of brilliant cut crystal cuff links with red foil backs set in silver connected with S link,” c. 1780-1820
- Colonial Williamsburg 2020-25, two pairs of brass cuff links mounted on their original cardstock with paper cover, probably made in Birmingham c. 1785
- Mount Vernon W-2558, gold enameled sleeve buttons made in England c. 1797
- Historic New England 1928.1112-1114, “three silver octagonal shaped cuff links, two with an engraved geometric design and one with an engraved floral design,” c. 1800
- Nelson’s buttons, a set of octagonal blue linked buttons embossed with floral motifs said to have been “taken from the Shirt worn by Vice-Admiral Viscount Nelson, shortly after the Mortal Wound received by him 21 October, 1805 on board H.M.S. Victory.”
People wearing sleeve links
Shopping for sleeve links
There are several places online where you can buy reproduction 18th century sleeve links.
- At the Eastern Door
- Goose Bay Workshops
- Najecki Reproductions
- The Village Green Clothier
- Wm. Booth Draper
In addition, there are several online antique stores selling 18th century sleeve links, and you can often find original 18th century sleeve links on eBay.
This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
