Pearl shirt studs

[TVD]

I have come across occasional references to pearls used as shirt studs, mostly from before the Great War. One reference on the London Lounge was the 1922 sartorial advice written by Emily Post (http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53). I also recall the scene in Beerbohm’s Zuleika Dobson where the Duke’s white pearls turn pink and black in response to his love for Zuleika.

I have never seen an example. There are dress sets using mother of pearl, but these are not pearls proper.

Could anybody please shed light on how such pearl studs should look, and what cuff links should be worn with them.

Many thanks

Thomas Drastik

[cuffthis]

In all my cufflink collecting, I have never seen a dress set with pearls as the shirt studs. Mother of pearl, yes (often) and a seed pearl on top of an onyx or black enamel base is also popular, but never just a pearl.

[TVD]

Thank you, Tom. I agree with your personal experience. Neither have I, and that it one of the reasons for my post.

However, this quote from Emily Post suggests a difference between real (and cultured, I must assume) pearl studs, which makes only sense in relation to actual pearls rather than mother of pearl studs: "Pearl shirt-studs (real ones) are correct for full dress only, and not to be worn with a dinner coat unless they are so small as to be entirely inconspicuous."

Also the following quote from Beerbohm: "She noted the glint cast by the candles upon his shirt-front. The two large white pearls there seemed to her symbols of
his nature. They were like two moons: cold, remote, radiant. Even when
she gazed at the Duke's face, she was aware of them in her vision." It is entirely clear from that description that these are round pearls.

The cost of true, natural pearls would have made these exceedingly expensive, so this may be a very rare thing, indeed. If drilled on one side only, they could have been easily converted to strings of pearls or rings.

Maybe I need to examine portraits and photographs from the period to find out more.

[RWS]

I have three sets of pearl stud buttons, all for a dinner or (I suppose after reading TVD´s excerpt from Mrs. Post´s guide, only for) evening shirt. One is English, probably Edwardian, with small pearls atop flat-bottomed posts; it still lies in a handsome leather box from the jeweller who originally sold (and, perhaps, made) the set. Both the other two sets were made by Larter, if I remember correctly, and are mounted on that jeweller´s typical spring posts: one, of three or four studbuttons, has quite small pearls; in the other, in which the pearls appear not to have been drilled, each of two or three slightly larger pearls is grasped by (if I remember correctly) four or five prongs. In each of the three sets, the mounting is yellow gold and the pearls seem to be natural, not cultured.

If my fellow Loungers are interested, I could endeavor to take and post photographs after my return home early next month.

[TVD]

Many thanks for your help. Yes, it would be interesting to see a picture, but only if it is not too much trouble.

I happened to be near Bond Street today, so I used the opportunity to go to one of the jewellers specialising in antique gems. A very friendly lady recalled a few pearl dress sets during her career, made from both natural and cultured pearls. However she thought that because pearls are very fragile, not many would have survived. She did not have anything in stock right now.

She also said that matching cuff-links would consist of two linked pearls.

[Rudolf]

Being somewhat a manic with shirt studs, I personally own two sets of those pearl studs. One of the sets has been made in Paris, the pearls are mounted on 15k gold bottoms and fitted into a purple velvet box (quite small and cute).
As RWS said, many of those stud sets are Edwardian in little boxes which usually contained just the studs. As far as I know, pearl studs were used from the early 1900s into the 1930s as the more basic front studs for white tie. Cf. the T.M.Lewin catalogue of 1910 which listed those studs. You find them either in sets of 2 or of 3, dependent on the style of shirt and cut of dress waistcoat.
All of this may not be new to you. I finally would like to add that I am absolutely sure that those studs NEVER were intended to be worn with whole pearl cufflinks. Just think of pushing such a big pearl through a small buttonhole (I own quite a lot of 1930s dress shirts to tell how comparatively short those holes were) of a STARCHED single cuff! You better should use any sort of mother-of-pearl- cufflinks or plain gold/platinum ones. The best option would be the art-deco-version with a small seed pearl in the center.
I will happily send you pictures, but I do not have an opportunity to host them, so I could send them privately to you, if you like.

[Incroyable]

Pearls were used as a jeweled end for a stud, and were rather popular in the United States with the wealthy of thst era.

Hoever, after the War they were still popular with white tie, and made by jewellers such as Paul Flato, Boucheron, et al.

A black pearl set with a platinum back is most pleasing. Especially with white tie.

[Concordia]

The Premiére issue of Men's Vogue has a brief squib about a cufflink dealer in NY. In the picture is a pair of links with an off-white on one end, and a black pearl on the other-- both slightly misshapen. A matching set of black studs might be a nice adjunct to a black tie rig.

[Incroyable]

The Premiére issue of Men's Vogue has a brief squib about a cufflink dealer in NY. In the picture is a pair of links with an off-white on one end, and a black pearl on the other-- both slightly misshapen. A matching set of black studs might be a nice adjunct to a black tie rig.

Rather Duchess of Windsor that. For Wallis Simpson wore mismatched Baroque pearl earrings.

[Concordia]

Nobody I respect admits to having been her friend. So I shall decide the case on the merits and ignore her opinion.

[Noble Savage]

I have come across occasional references to pearls used as shirt studs, mostly from before the Great War. One reference on the London Lounge was the 1922 sartorial advice written by Emily Post (http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53). I also recall the scene in Beerbohm’s Zuleika Dobson where the Duke’s white pearls turn pink and black in response to his love for Zuleika.

Top: Waistcoat studs. Middle: Shirt studs. Bottom: Cufflinks.

[NJS]

I have two small, plain pearl shirtfront studs.
NJS

[Concordia]

In case anyone missed it, The Hanger Project sold a bunch (and might still have some) of pearl studs and cufflinks. Nice design, although IMO the studs are too big to be classic. Shrink them by a few mm and you've got a real winner.

[hectorm]

Shrink them by a few mm and you've got a real winner.

And may I politely ask how one would do it?

[Noble Savage]

I have two small, plain pearl shirtfront studs.
NJS

Do your shirt studs match your waistcoat?

Emily Post (1922), mentions matching sets as being an "American custom". Is this true today?

Waistcoat buttons, studs and cuff links, worn in sets, is an American custom that is permissible. Both waistcoat buttons and cuff links may be jewelled and valuable, but they must not have big precious stones or be conspicuous. Emily Post