Ruger Hickok Red Cufflinks (Rare) For Sale

[mm6mm6]

My grandfather, Leslie V. Tracy, was the gun buyer for Marshall Field & Company on State Street in Chicago in the 1950s. He was presented with this set of Ruger cufflinks made by Hickok for his sales of Ruger products. My understanding is that there were a very limited number of these cufflinks made. My grandfather passed away in the late 1960s and my dad had these cufflinks until he passed away in 2004. Now I have had them as their family custodian for the past nineteen years, I've never worn them. I don't have any shirts that even use cufflinks and I really have no where to wear them if I did. This is a tough decision to sell them. My dad was very proud of them because his father earned them from Ruger. But realistically, what am I going to do with them. My fear is that one day I will pass away and they'll be thrown out. So I have decided that, since I can use the cash and I am not a Ruger collector (I sure have a lot of Rugers and love them, but....), I will see if there is any interest in a collector here wanting them. I'm going to ask $500 for the pair. They are in perfect condition. I'll ship them via USPS Priority Mail insured for their full value with tracking in the continental US. You can check my feedback on eBay and Gunbroker (658 100% positive and Gunbroker 100% A+) under my user name of mmm6mm6. Payment by USPS Money Order please. -Steve Tracy

 

[hittman]

Is there a 10K or 14K stamp on them?
Or do you know if they're gold plated?

 

[Threespears]

Very nice to offer them to collectors

 

[contender]

Nice offering.
I just compared the pictures above to the (2) different sets I already have.

I have (2) different sets,, which also include a tie clasp/slip. Both of my sets are gold toned.

The set above is a different variation, in that they have the name of the maker inside the arm pieces, neither of my sets have that. But one of my sets has the same rounded flip pins as shown above,, while the other set has a different type of flip pin.

So,, this would be a 3rd variation of the cufflinks.

For the OP,, was there a tie clasp with the cufflinks,, and do you have the box they came in?

 

[mm6mm6]

Is there a 10K or 14K stamp on them?
Or do you know if they're gold plated?

I don't see a 10K or 14K stamp on them anywhere. To my eye, they do not appear to be gold plated. Plated in a gold-is color, but the back and the mechanism have a rose gold or bronze-ish color that does not necessarily look like actual real gold to me. The face with the red enamel though, does look like gold to me. But I can't say that it is.

Also, I never saw a box or a tie bar/clasp along with them. They were in a leather covered cuff link case that was my grandfather's. I'll post additional pics.

 

[AJGUNNER]

Lots of really neat pieces of man jewelery in the box!

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

I also have multiple sets that sound the same as Ty's. Actually I have 4 sets plus one loose one. The one different set has the barrel shaped pivot clasp like these but no markings on the studs and is in a blue plastic box with a clear lid and a long bar tie clip. Another pair has the half flat pivot clasp with a patent number (2,974,381) and a small button (no bar) tie clip in a hinged black satin lined box with the Ruger eagle inside the lid (same box used for the old auto pistol tie clips but with more tie downs for the 3 pieces). The 3rd set is the same as the second set with the smaller tie clip but no box, just a bag added somewhere along the way. Then the 4th set and one loose cufflink are the same as those with the half flat clasp and patent date but no tie clip or box.

The one different set also has a matte grid on the back of the medallion where all the others are just glossy. I've always assumed these to be brass.

None of these are identical to the ones listed for sale.

 

[mm6mm6]

I looked again and in addition to the maker "Hickok" on the inside of the arm pieces, it also is marked "USA." I never saw a tie bar clasp or a box for these. They were in a vintage cufflink leather covered case that was my grandfather's. I took a photo of the "USA" marking and I'll post in a few minutes here.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Actually, I noticed the USA mark in the little pic at the bottom of your first post next to the jewelry box pic.

 

[KIR]

Only wore cuff links once or twice in my life, but I really liked tie tacks on a tie. Being conservative (my dress; let's not get political), I preferred solid colors and hated stripes. Tie bars seemed off kilter so I preferred my emerald stone (green) tie tack on a black or silver tie. I still have some tie tacks, which my son will inherit. He had to wear a tie while in the Army, frequently as since I taught him how to type, he was selected to work in the office in addition to his EOD duties. So he became familiar with the officers in his unit and got invited to a few social functions. It is a wonder to me why ties are still in fashion required by old judges and upscale restaurants. Exceptions might be a Nehru jacket or other ethnic attire. The only jewelry I wear frequently is a Star of David, which my wife gave to me and an MIA bracelet I have been wearing since December 1971 for Col. Dean Pogreba who was shot down in his F-105 during the Viet Nam war in 1965. Everyone should look up Pogreba and read about his story. It is very interesting. Well enuff rambling on, but I get to be that way and also entitled, mebbe, since I am going to be 80 this Saturday. I am also the oldest of five current living generations. It is the second time I was part of the family of five generations...

 

[contender]

My two sets are identical to the black cases set & the blue box set WMG has posted the pictures of.
Interesting variation there.