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calis_stuff · ‎11-28-2015

I picked this cannetille pin last week, no marks at all, I've been all over it many times with a lighted loupe.

I just assumed it was a gold washed silver piece like quite a few others I've had over years. Magnet doesn't attract, so then I did a scratch on stone acid test and it stayed at 14, 10 min. slow dissolve at 18. I then decided to try and do a small file test but I'm not getting any silver or base metal to test so I just put a small drop of 14k acid directly onto the tiny nick I made, no reaction at all.

Now, I really don't know why, but for some odd reason I'm having a hard time believing this is solid 14k gold. I test real gold all the time and I'm pretty confident with my results most of the time.

I know they didn't always mark some early gold pieces but the catch and hinge makes me think vintage, not antique so maybe that's what's giving me doubts. They look original to the pin, not replaced.

Any thoughts to age and origin of this piece ?

arlene_v · ‎11-29-2015

To me this looks like a pin that could have been made anytime from the 1950s onwards. There are so many countries that still do filigree work to this day.

I must admit from the pics it doesn't look like gold to me either but sometimes gold wire can look like that., and pics don't tell the full story, the weight in hand is often more of an indicator and this is why you probably bought it in the first place, because subconsciously you noticed it was just a tad heavier that a silver piece would be. Anyway, if it tests as 14k then it almost certainly is, since you've been testing for many years and know what you are doing.

Without hallmarks unfortunately, it is going to be virtually impossible to say with certainty exactly where this was made, and because this style is still being produced in many countries to this day, ditto for period.