Tie clip / tie bar

[Quetzal]

My family went to the cape again to visit relatives last week, and while I was up there, I got these two vintage tie clips. The one on the top is made by Flex-Let Quality (or at least that's what it says on the back), and I got it at an antique store. The owner said that it was probably from the 60's or 70's, but I think it may be older. The second one (the longer one without the red stone) is from a church flea market. It's made by Swank, and I think it might be from the early 50's. They both are sliding tie clips. The one from the antique store was $15. The one from the flea market was $5. The flea market one has sticky black marks on it, does anyone know how to clean such marks off?

The sliding types are called "Bars"; it's very possible for them to be from the 1960s/70s; good stuff; contrary to popular belief, was made in the 70s, probably the last decade along with the early 80s, to have stuff like this made. Of course, these do look like 50s (I believe the 50s were the last Hoo-rah for bars).

Last month, I was at a flea market in South Bend, Indiana, and I think I may have seen the cufflinks that would have accompanied your first bar with the small red "gem". I didn't buy them; too expensive for me ($10.00), as I usually purchase my jewelry for under a dollar ($5.00 is the most I've paid, but that was for a lot). Instead, I bought a box of 30+ vintage ties (30s-80s, though nearly half were 70s; they were actually decent, but too wide and long for me, and unfortunately in the best condition. About 5 were 30s (all wrinkled, now wearable), three were 40s (one a BRAND NEW Palm Tree Print), 4 were 50s/60s (wrinkled, now wearable), but unfortunately a wide 40s Wembley knit had snags, and a Towncraft DeLuxe had tears) for $4.00.

Moral of the story; keep looking around at flea markets in your area; you'll never know what you find.

-Quetzal

 

[F. J.]

New tie bar . . .

I’ve only worn a tie clip maybe a half-dozen times since I lost my favourite one, which I wore daily, a year or two ago.

Lately, I’ve noticed that even with a waistcoat, my ties always seem to gravitate to the right (probably due to my preferred knot) and expose the thin end behind the blade.

So, after doing a little research on 1930’s tie bars and reading this thread, I went on the ’Bay and bought me one.

I tend to only wear my favourites of things. For example, I have many pairs of cufflinks, but I only ever wear two or three of them. I figured that if I’m only going to have one tie bar that I ever wear, it might as well be real silver, so that’s what I got.

It’s a ca. 1940’s Forstner silver tie bar with a chain, about 2½ inches wide, and it looks brand-new. It’s marked, “FCC / Sterling,” which means that it was made sometime before 1950, when the Forstner Chain Corporation changed its name to be Forstner Jewelry Manufacturing Corporation.

I don’t really have a camera at the moment so here’s the image from the eBay listing:

 

[dh66]

Here's one with a matching set of cufflinks in a spiffy mid century starburst sort of pattern that I scored a little while back.

And here's a western saddle themed one I just got.

 

[1mach1]

Dale, those are sweet!!! :eusa_clap

 

[BobHufford]

Dale -- are those supposed to clip to the "back" half of the tie and then loop the front through as shown or is the whole bar and chain supposed to show? I ask as this one I picked up shows stamping on the bar as if it is supposed to show.

I was also given this tie pin. Wore it to work today.

 

[Speakeasy]

I have to scour the vintage stores again sometime to find myself a few of these.

I especially like collar bars - do these always require a shirt made specifically with holes to fit it in, or do you just stick it through?

 

[BobHufford]

The Thunder Bird is silver (though not stamped).

 

[F. J.]

Here’s mine:

 

[dh66]

The Thunder Bird is silver (though not stamped).

Sorry for the late reply, Bob. Those two are amazing! I'm especially proud of that Thunderbird - man, that is sweet.
To answer your question, it looks like both of yours are made to be worn with the bar clipped over the tie. If you look at the one I posted, the clip part is pretty nondescript and utilitarian, nothing to show there. These kind are made to go behind the tie, but the ones with the nice looking bar, like on yours, go out front. If you go further back a few pages, I posted one like that with a little dangly longhorn steer head. I guess the nice thing about these is that you could wear them either way if you wanted, thus getting two looks for the price of one.

 

[BobHufford]

Sorry for the late reply, Bob. Those two are amazing! I'm especially proud of that Thunderbird - man, that is sweet.

Thanks Dale.

No worries about being late.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Here are the two I own (had 2 more but lost them ):
common German (European) 1930's tie clips - the type to slide on - 835 Silver - have to clean the black one

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I have this tie bar that I often use as a money clip. I like all the detail which represents the stitching & inlays on a fancy boot top.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

That's a stunner! Congrats, Jack!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

That's a stunner! Congrats, Jack!

Thanks MEM. I can't quite make out the name of the mfg'er stamped on the back; Reno, NV; Sterling. Maybe someone will recognize the name. I have seen the boot used on some ladies jewelry once before.

 

[Bamaboots]

I have this tie bar that I often use as a money clip. I like all the detail which represents the stitching & inlays on a fancy boot top.

That's a stunner, Jack. Somewhere back in this thread, someone posted a tie chain with a saddle. dh66, maybe.

 

[dh66]

Nice ones Matt!

Jack, that boot one is pretty kickin'! Glad you're able to get double duty out of it as a money clip.

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

 

[Hurricane Jack]

That's a stunner, Jack. Somewhere back in this thread, someone posted a tie chain with a saddle. dh66, maybe.

There is a different boot too, I think.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Jack, that boot one is pretty kickin'! Glad you're able to get double duty out of it as a money clip.

Thanks Dale. I don't carry it every day as a money clip because I don't want it to wear in my pocket. But whenever I want to impress my billiards/poker/drinking buddies with a roll like I came to play, I take a few $1 & wrap them around some folded paper towels with my money clip to hold it together. Always looks impressive anyway!

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Here's my recent find: for 1 buck I couldn't pass by...

 

[Michael A]

I picked up this set at a thrift not terribly long ago. Nothing particularly special, but I rather like them.
Pheasant Tie Clip and Cufflinks by Michael A2012, on Flickr

Michael