Extant sleeve buttons

Post-medieval linked buttons at the London Museum, including 2009.33/655

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

Mount Vernon 1785993, pair of cast copper alloy sleeve buttons with link

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

Peabody Museum 2014.14.815, a set of paste sleeve buttons in pewter and cut glass, found at Harvard Yard,s c. 1700-1820

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.”