Handmade John

Handmade John

London: Handmade Designer Cufflinks: a Success Story

The bespoke market survives amidst a mass manufacturing revolution. Ian Flaherty designs and manufactures men’s bespoke cufflinks in his London based workshop ready to be distributed nationally and internationally.

Visit Ian at his studio and you’ll find him working at the coal face with his subordinates, unafraid to get his hands dirty. A Scouser by birth and the son of a builder he chose a different career path that lead him out of working class Liverpool and into London, the fashion capitol of the world.

After designing for many prestigious brand names Ian thought it was time to harness his energies and direct them toward developing his own brand. It’s been a long road from Liverpool, now his delightful cufflinks are displayed in some of the most famous department stores around the world, including Selfridges and John Lewis (UK), Nordstroms (USA) David Jones (Australia) plus stores in Japan with un-pronounceable names.

The cufflink market has become crowded as designer brands cash in on the growing popularity of men’s jewellery. Plus there is the lure of manufacturing in Asia as a way to increase profits, but not without risk of negative effect on your reputation. Increasing profits at your customer’s expense does not make good long term business sense. Ian’s a big fan of traditional British craftsmanship and prefers the workmanship he gets from his own Battersea studio.

Ian literally draws his design inspiration from the world around him. He’s always looking at patterns and reflections, sketching things that catch his eye as he walks down the street. His designs have been copied, often blatantly by many big names.

Ian’s designs are hand cast in pure English pewter, because it gives the most accurate result. Each item is double plated in rhodium, a precious metal derived from platinum, and polished before being hand-enamelled or inset with Swarovski crystal. Then polished and inspected again to make sure it’s flawless. Rhodium prevents tarnishing and adds functionality to form making them extremely hard wearing, less likely to be scarred thus adding value. His cufflinks don’t tarnish and neither will his reputation. His customers keep coming back for more precisely because he does not cut corners.

He continues his work happily labelled “the quiet achiever”, carving out a name for himself in the fashion capitol of the world. The only thing that overshadows Ian’s immense talent is his sincerity; his working class principles remain intact.

Having a pair of his in your collection is a must; you’ll reveal their unique story each time you bind your links to cuff.

About the Author

Purveyor of finely crafted men’s fashion accessories by Ian Flaherty, including Ian’s handmade Swarovski Crystal Cufflinks, plus his vividly decorative silk ties

I would like some information on a grandfather clock?

7' tall - handmade John Hall name on it

Clockmaker/By : John Hall of Grimsby.

Duration : 8 day.

Circa : 1795.

Height : 87.5 inches.

Case :
Oak.
Pagoda hood with fan inlay , a style popular in the region at the time.
Brass capped pillars to hood.
Long door.
Bracket feet.
Winding pulleys are made from wood instead of the usual brass . This is thought to be a by-product of the local fishing industry.

Dial :
Outstanding condition and quality featuring delicately coloured flowers to arch and spandrells. Matching hour,minute,second and calendar hands
Roman numerals.

Maker :
There is only one Grimsby maker named Hall listed in the reference books in the 1790's when this clock was made - John Hall.

There is information about a John Hall Junior, possibly the makers son , who was born in 1795 and in 1807, aged 12, was imprisoned for murder after a man died in a pub brawl. There are also records of a John and Joseph Hall who are listed as working in Grimsby in the years 1828-50.

Price : £ 2,950

Guarantee : 12 months.

My Handmade John Cena Chain Gang Spinner Locket