Description
Pair of vintage mid century mens dual action sterling silver Asian Thai niello swivel cufflinks. Marked Siam Sterling. Tested and guaranteed solid sterling silver….not plated. Size of each link top is 7/8″ across. The sword dancers which represent Thai martial arts and folklore are highly detailed and very noticeable. They came from an estate where they were well kept in excellent, gently used condition. Both swivels work well – see photos of the multiple direction. One swivel is tighter than the other. They have not been freshly polished, just cleaned to check for damage. All original, no damage, no repair. Lovely older vintage cufflinks for your vintage fine silver men’s jewelry collection. Thai silver makers were known to be highly proficient at making sterling niello jewelry.
As per AI sterling niello from Thailand/Siam was most popular 1940s -1970s. Thai sterling niello jewelry (also known as “Siam Sterling” or “Nielloware”) reached its peak popularity from the post-WWII era through the 1970s. The boom was primarily driven by American soldiers serving in the Pacific and during the Vietnam War, who purchased the handmade pieces as souvenirs and gifts for sweethearts back home.
1930s: The craft was introduced commercially to tourists and international markets, initially marked simply as “Siam” or “Siam Sterling”.
1939: The country of Siam officially changed its name to Thailand, though the “Siam Sterling” name stuck on jewelry for decades.Post-WWII to 1970s: This was the golden era of the jewelry’s popularity. Thousands of pieces, ranging from brooches and lockets to bracelets and rings, were mass-produced for returning servicemen taking R&R in Thailand.1970s to 1980s: Popularity slowly declined, eventually phasing out as mass-produced, factory-made jewelry began to replace handmade artisans.
