Just in time for Father's Day, cufflinks make a comeback

A smart woman created Father's Day in 1910. Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to honor her father, William Smart, in the same way mothers were honored on Mother's Day. It wasn't until 1972, however, that Congress made the third Sunday of June the official holiday.

It can be difficult to find a gift for Dad, but with cufflinks back in style, shopping might be a bit easier. Vintage examples from $10 to more than $1,000 abound. Just be sure Dad has at least one shirt with cuffs that have holes, not buttons.

An expensive pair of cufflinks and a matching tie bar sold last year at a Sollo Rago auction for $1,715. The gold cufflinks and tie bar in an abstract design were made by a now-famous artist, Ed Wiener (1918- 1991). A self-taught jeweler who worked in Greenwich Village in the late 1940s, Mr. Wiener made unusual, modern pieces of sterling silver until the late 1950s and then added gold to his mix. Any piece by Mr. Wiener brings high prices today, and since he sold jewelry to many tourists, it's not unusual to find examples in all parts of the country. The best news is that he always marked pieces with his name, so they can be easily identified.

These cufflinks and tie bar in a modern design were made by Ed Wiener. The set of three pieces sold for more than $1,700 at a Sollo Rago auction in Lambertville, N.J. If your dad isn't the cufflink type, shop for another collectible, such as sports memorabilia or a shaving mug.

Q: Years ago, I acquired three pieces of porch furniture: two wooden chairs and a wooden seat attached to a metal glider. The manufacturing plate on the rocker says, "Rok-o- Glider, The Goshen Manufacturing Co., Goshen, Indiana." Do you know how old the pieces are and what they're worth? They have been repainted.

A: The Goshen Manufacturing Co. has been in business since the late 1890s. Today it's a division of Gleason Industries and makes hand and platform trucks. It started out as a manufacturer of ladders, hay tools and lawn swings. The patent for the design of your glider was granted in April 1937, so your set probably dates from the late 1930s. A repainted glider and one chair sold a couple of years ago for $200.