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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;masterswimmer, post: 26082726, member: 102022&quot;]Ok, I&#039;ll concede this is not about a coin, nor is it about a disaster, directly. It is about gold, and it is somewhat related to a disaster, a very famous disaster at that. They even made a movie about this disaster. </p><p><br /></p><p>Many years ago, 1986 to be precise, I was gifted a pair of gold cufflinks from my father. Dad received these links when his father, my grand, passed away. The cufflinks are 14k gold, small, and unassuming. Nothing extravagant, as you&#039;ll see in a few pictures below. </p><p><br /></p><p>I never paid much attention to the cufflinks, and to this day I&#039;ve never worn them. I do like them. I do own and sometimes wear French cuff shirts (those shirts that require cufflinks to secure the sleeves). My fear is that I&#039;d lose one, or both. And for that reason alone I haven&#039;t worn them. That was to change for my daughters wedding back in 2016. I chose a nice new French cuff shirt for that special day, with the explicit intent to don the sentimental gold cufflinks from my daughters great grandfather. </p><p><br /></p><p>My daughter had no knowledge of the special links I wanted to wear. In her thoughtful way she wanted to surprise me with a special pair of cufflinks of her own design to commemorate her day and our bond/link. </p><p><br /></p><p>Not knowing about or receiving her gift yet I retrieved my grandfather&#039;s cufflinks from the safe. First time I&#039;d looked at these cufflinks in 30 years. I was excited to finally wear them. When I opened the box they are stored in I realized I&#039;d never really &#039;looked&#039; at them. Never thought to examine them, until that moment. </p><p><br /></p><p>There are two hallmarks on them. The most recognized is the 14K purity. I&#039;ve come to find the other is the makers mark. OB is flanking the purity. A bit of research reveals the maker as Ostby &amp; Barton. </p><p><br /></p><p>Now here&#039;s the disaster connection. Engelhart Ostby was a world renowned jeweler. He was on a gem collecting trip to Paris with his daughter Helen in 1912. Figure it out yet? Yep, Engelhart booked their return trip on the ill fated Titanic. Engelhart perished in the disaster while Helen survived. </p><p><br /></p><p>These cufflinks were not survivors of the sinking Titanic, but they are a product of the founder of the company Ostby &amp; Barton. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.maejeanvintage.com/blogs/blog/history-of-ostby-barton-jewelry-co-the-significance-of-the-historical-titantic-collision?srsltid=AfmBOor1FyG-s03vlBk7E9HbMAjcGk6PwPqNYt0ZqNijOuIBfUsaMcN-" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.maejeanvintage.com/blogs/blog/history-of-ostby-barton-jewelry-co-the-significance-of-the-historical-titantic-collision?srsltid=AfmBOor1FyG-s03vlBk7E9HbMAjcGk6PwPqNYt0ZqNijOuIBfUsaMcN-" rel="nofollow">The story is told here</a>. Check it out. It is fascinating. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.maejeanvintage.com/blogs/blog/history-of-ostby-barton-jewelry-co-the-significance-of-the-historical-titantic-collision?srsltid=AfmBOor1FyG-s03vlBk7E9HbMAjcGk6PwPqNYt0ZqNijOuIBfUsaMcN-" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.maejeanvintage.com/blogs/blog/history-of-ostby-barton-jewelry-co-the-significance-of-the-historical-titantic-collision?srsltid=AfmBOor1FyG-s03vlBk7E9HbMAjcGk6PwPqNYt0ZqNijOuIBfUsaMcN-" rel="nofollow">History of Ostby &amp; Barton Jewelry Co. &amp; the Significance of the Historical Titanic Collision</a></p><p><br /></p><p>My grandfather&#039;s cufflinks:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1661706[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The hallmarks:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1661707[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The cufflinks from my daughter:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1661717[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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