by Mandy Heth, owner of VintageBaublesNBits
One For the Guys: The History of Swank
If you’re a collector of men’s vintage jewelry and
accessories then you’ve more than likely have a few (or many!) Swank pieces in
your possession. Swank began creating men’s and women’s costume jewelry in
1897, when it went by the name of Attleboro Manufacturing Company, named after
it’s location in Attleboro, Mass. The company was started by Samuel Stone and
Maurice Baer.
The company started making men’s pieces starting in 1908, but they didn’t begin focusing only on men’s pieces until shortly after World War I. During the war the company created dog tags for the U.S. military and it was this shift in manufacturing that led the company to specialize in men’s jewelry.
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1960s Swank Renaissance Man cufflinks from RMS Jewels |
The most notable pieces developed by Swank are cufflinks. The first line of cufflinks created by
Swank were called Kum-a-Part, for their unique snap closure. Cufflinks started
to become popular again in the 1920s when manufacturers started to develop
pairs of cufflinks that were easy to insert and remove. Swank took advantage of
these manufacturing changes and became a powerhouse in the cufflink market.
During the 1960s when wearing cufflinks was at its peak in men’s fashion Swank
was producing 12 million pairs a year. You can find Swank cufflinks in every
shape, size and style imaginable!
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Swank Fisherman Rod and Reel Cuff Links from PandPF |
After the company had success with their Kum-a-Part line and
experienced a huge manufacturing increase they changed their name, officially
becoming Swank Products, Inc. in 1936. In 1941 they had a third company change
and shorted the name to just Swank, Inc.
Starting in the 1950s the brand began to acquire other
companies and styles of manufacturing, expanding into leather goods and other
men’s accessories. Making them a leader in men’s fashion and style.
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1950's Swank Silver and Grey Cufflinks and Tie Bar Set from TheAtticShop |
In the 1980s the brand had a change of heart and began
offering women’s jewelry again, mostly under the label Anne Klein. This foray
back into women’s costume jewelry was short lived and once again the company
does not make women’s jewelry, making Swank’s women’s pieces a little more
collectible due to the relative rarity.
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Swank Mother of Pearl Cuff Links From VintageBaublesNBits |
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| Modernist Silver & Pearl Cuff Links from SerendipityTreasure |
The company still operates their men’s line today and also creates private labels for designers such as Claiborne, Guess, Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole, Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger. In 2012 they were purchased by Randa Accessories and continue to produce affordable, fashionable men’s jewelry and accessories.
See the entire VJSE Swank Collection perfect for Father's Day
