Hello everyone, new member here. I am looking for any Hurst/Olds experts to help me out with identifying a pair of cufflinks I picked up yesterday at an auction. I believe that they are from 1965 and 1 of 100 pairs of cufflinks that "Doc" Watson made to celebrate the Hustler forged wheels. They are sterling silver and look to be old. I do not believe that they are a pair from the 40th anniversary reproductions in the 2000's. I will get pictures of them and post them up, but if there is anybody that can help me, please post up. Thank you.
I don't know much about automobilia I'm afraid. But I can help you by suggesting that you post an introduction before the fire storm starts. Look at the top of the page where it says new to the HAMB. Here's a link. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18 Not to offend its just that some of us don't play nice.
If they are silver they should have a maker's stamp and material stamp on the back. If you are lucky they will also have a date stamp. Take them to a jewellers for decoding.
The first Hurst/Olds was built in 1968. Those cufflinks are cool, but they appear to simply be Hurst wheels, which were available aftermarket in the 1960s. Hurst/Olds cars didn't even use these wheels (except for George Hurst's original 1968 prototype).
Contact Hamber Dennis Kirban...he is the Hurst guru. Here's a thread of his on Hurst history..... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=427115
Thank you all for the help. I will contact Dennis Kirban. If anyone could offer any more information, all help would be greatly appreciated.
Here is the scoop on Hurst wheel style cuff links. Originally the silver version was offered from Hurst in their catalogs around 1967-68 for I believe $9.98 a set. Gold style where never offered to the public but sets were made probably for the executives at the time. As it has been noted Doc Watson who also known as the shifty Doctor back in the day....has redone the gold style a few years back. Think they sold for under $50 a set originally. I don't believe he did the silver ones. His set was really 3, pair of cuff links and a matching tie tack. From the photo that has been posted from what I can tell you have an original pair of the Hurst silver ones. In my collection I have an original set in silver and an original set in gold color...and Doc Watsons version. Again yours if indeed are originals from the 1960s they are worth several hundred dollars to the right collector. (The gold version brings more money) I don't think Watson did silver ones...if he did I would have bought a set! You got a rare find! Hurst wheels were phased out half way through 1969 due to lack of sales.....Hurst offered remaining sets to the employees at prices under $50 a set....he never could get an OEM company to pick up on them like he scored with the manual and automatic shifters. On a side note in my private collection I own the original artwork for the Hurst wheel. The actual rim they used was a steel Olds rim which they determined to be the strongest rim back in the day. denniskirban@yahoo.com
Thank you for the info Dennis, but now I'm a little confused. While searching the net last night I found the "Hurst Heritage" page, and was going by what was posted there. Is that page a misprint? I really do appreciate the info you guys are giving me. I've been a car guy a long time and I'm glad I was the only person at the auction that thought they were cool enough to take home.
Believe it er not, I have a set of chrome plated plastic ones from the Revell 1/25 scale '66 Pontiac GTO model kit... I could probably make a 2 piece mold of one and cast them in peuter (sp)?...
Few more points....Revell models did use a Hurst wheel and that could probably be done also seen key chains which add to the confusion on later versions versus the real deal from the late 1960s from Hurst..kind alike following coca-cola stuff so much copies been done. Since originally the silver cuff links was in the Hurt catalog they must have produced more than 100. The gold ones since I own both Docs and originals I can definately tell the difference in the 2 versions...on the originals silver and gold which I own their is no markings as to who made them or date anywhere. I do not have the box they came in. In looking at the back I can tell the difference....may be hard to explain but if you send me a photo of the back I can tell you if its Docs or orignals...Docs the backs are a series of small lines the originals on the other hand is graining no lines per say... Post photo of the back that will be the key whether you got $50 ons or several hundred dollar ones....I am thinking you got the real deal from the late 1960s....the back will tell us for sure. Both my gold and silver orignals have the same textured back where as Docs is different. denniskirban@yahoo.com They do appear in Hursts 1968 catalog as does a photo of the very first 1968 Hurst Olds. Unfortunately no price is next to the items which is on a seperate sheet which I can't find at the moment but I am pretty certain they were around $10.
More info I just remember in the book I wrote on Hurst wheels I have both the silver and gold cufflinks pictured on the cover also quite a bit of info on them inside. One shows a price of $7.50 then later price on the order form is $12.50 a set. I also go on to state that of all the promotional items this would be one of the most valuable. Another rare item is the gl*** candy dish showing the Hurst wheel. This is extremely rare as it never appeared in any of the Hurst catalogs that I have found. May have been an in office thing. The Hurst book I am referring to is available for sale think we sell to Amazon also. denniskirban@yahoo.com
Thank you again. I will get a picture of the backs tonight when I get home from work. I could not find any maker's mark or dates on them at all.
Ok I got some better pics and I spoke with a gentleman today that works with "Doc" watson. He was very knowledgeable and nice. It was great to listen to him talk about the days gone by and Hurst. He did say that they made 500 sets of the silver cufflinks that were available to the public and 100 sets of the gold ones that were not available to the public.
Yours are the "real" deal originals from late 1960s.....they are not the remakes.... Hard to explain but if you were to see a set of the repros that Doc Watson did you would see the difference. Docs the back has grain lines not a mesh look to it. Most Hurst collectors know who I am....so just keep this note... denniskirban@yahoo.com Also yours has patina look to it "age"
It just amazes me that someone could come here with a question like this and find "THE" guy with this much info on it. This place rules.
Thank you very much Dennis. I am really stoked with outcome. I knew when I bought them that I could find a good home for them with some Hurst/Olds buff but had no idea that I had something rare and valuable. I may just hang on to them for awhile if the wife will let me.
Perhaps others can chirp in but I can't recall the last time I heard of a original silver set selling and at what price. I paid good money for my set as the same seller also had a gold set. I bought most of my Hurst stuff 5-10 years ago and alot of it when Mr Gasket bought out Hurst in the late 1980s. I may be a buyer if you do decide to sell. Its been after that time period that Hurst has become quite sought after. I focused mainly on the super rare stuff or prototypes. Dumb me I mostly was into GM so alot of Mopar stuff lug nut pistol shifter handles got thrown out years ago. Hurst was one of the first to make the T-Tops popular they called them Hurst/Hatches during the 1970s.... denniskirban@yahoo.com Its funny....Hurst outside of automotive people is probably not very well known, but mention the 'Jaws of Life" and non car enthusiasts usually have heard of that....a Hurst product. Just a few tidbits to throw out there.
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