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April 10, 2010

CUFF LINK TOGGLE INVENTION

Have you ever given a thought to the cuff link toggle? Most people haven't.
US Patent 2472958 was granted in 1949 to Jacob M. Oldak, a jewellery designer from Brooklyn, New York. Mr Oldak was the inventor of the modern-day cuff link design, an invention that should have made him rich beyond his dreams.
Unfortunately, many of the large jewellery houses used his toggle design without crediting his invention. Mr Oldak spent a fortune on legal fees trying to protect his rights to this design. Swamped in legal fees, he eventually gave up the fight.
So spare a thought for poor Jacob next time you put on your cuff links. His invention made our lives so much easier, but not his own.
See also : Vintage Cove Website | Vintage Cove on Facebook

3 comments:

  1. I have a pair of Jacob M. Oldak "Tragedy" cufflinks with the patent # 2472958 on them. they look like they are made of pot metal & rhodium plated. i would like to sell them. I will entertain any offers! Pics upon request.
    Thank you,
    remmod30@hotmail.com

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  2. i also have a pair of these cufflinks made of sterling silver and tiffany stone, they bare the
    2472958 pat no. what do i do with them????
    any takers or intrest???

    phop1@yahoo.com

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  3. Ive been an antique and vintage cufflink collector for over 30 years and have studied and done extensive research on cufflinks. Jacob Oldak did not invent the cufflink toggle. He only changed the design by putting an angle on the ends. The toggle was patented long before 1949. If I recall correctly, it was invented in 1935 or a few years earlier perhaps, but not patented until 1935. Most men didnt actually like his cufflink styles much and thought the toggles looked cheap, compared to earlier toggles from the 1930-1940 era. Jacob did a lot of knocking off himself ( styles of actual cufflink designs-not toggles) and he wasnt very well liked. He was not considered to be one of the " Big Boys". Sincerely ~ www.greatvintagejewelry.com

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