Featured Cufflinks?

These pieces are 3 cm. in diameter.

The Russian word дарю (“daryu”), across the front, means “I give.” I don’t understand what the significance of the word is in this context.

The “scrolling foliage” design is reminiscent of that of the vodka cup (image attached for reference), which I posted about previously. (I have since learned that it is a vodka cup, rather than a kiddush cup.)

I’m guessing that it’s silver but I’m not sure, so I will post this in the “Antique Discussion” subforum. Hope that's OK.

Any insight into this set would be most appreciated.

 

84 is a Russian silver purity mark.

We had a discussion about Jewish kiddush cups here recently.
I tend to favor yours as a non kiddush cup....but it could be used for wine, in a pinch.

Anyone who can read the other marks, will show up sooner than later....

 

The black decor is niello, inlaid layer in the engraved silver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niello
A pair like yours:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANTIQUE-...-84-MARKED-CUFFLINK-KAVKAZ-4-GR-/261354404403

 

They look like shirt studs. They are silver with niello. The style is Caucasian (in the true meaning of the word).
An important silver centre in the Caucasus is Kubachi in Dagestan.
Niello is a black metal alloy and sulphur mixture used for inlay. The silver content is 84 zolotniki, .875 fineness (87.5% silver). They were made before 1896, when a national mark was introduced.

I can't make out the town assay mark (in the crest shape), we need someone with better eyes to see that. It is asymmetrical, which rules out many, but leaves many others. Russia is big.
Caucasian silver can be marked in different towns, sometimes outside the Caucasus. This mark could be for Kazan, but I'll leave that to the others.
KL is the maker's mark, but you can only find the maker if you know which town to look in.
Here is another example of Caucasian niello ware:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/r...-please-caucasian-silver-niello-buckle.23019/

 

Sniped. Great minds.

 

My great-grandfather, to whom this probably belonged, attended Kazan University in the 1880s (when it was Kazan Imperial University). So what you say appears very much on the mark. Excellent call! Given that it almost certainly is Kazan, then, is there a way to identify the maker?

 

I can't find KL in the lists I have. But with so many Russian (and other) silversmiths, it is impossible to make a complete list.
Maybe @DragonflyWink knows.

 

KL would be a Caucasian maker, and could be from Kubachi, Dagestan. Whether he stayed in Dagestan or went to another region, we may never know.

 

Thank you so much, @Any Jewelry. It is enough to know that the likely origin is Kazan, pre-1896, as this would explain to whom the shirt studs belonged.

 

Is that the city mark for Tula? It's such a blurry mess I'm toggling back and forth between the 925 page and the photo and still can't decide.

http://www.925-1000.com/Frussia_city_04.html

 

I must say DB.....it's a good thing you found us when you did.

Your good photo's are much appreciated, as it the quality of your items.

I don't know how many items you're looking to pass on....but I hope it's many more !!

 

The Tula mark is symmetrical, this one looks asymmetrical, with a larger mass at the bottom.

 

For what it's worth, it's possible that the initials are either KA or KД -- poorly struck. The second letter doesn't look like an L to me. Even if they were using non-Cyrillic letters it doesn't look like an L.

 

Thank you for the extra pair of eyes. Alas, no luck finding a maker with initials KA or KД either.