Questions About an Antique Festoon Necklace

[oncoyotemountainart]

Were this piece in good condition I'd just list it and move on.  The coral is genuine, I believe that's an old mine cut diamond and the pearls are real, but it has some unfortunate repairs to it.  Someone went wild with a solder gun and it's missing a pearl at the top.  I haven't tested it for gold content and it's completely unmarked.

Keeping it is not an option since I haven't had that small a neck since I was 3.  Were these Victorian women tiny or something?  Could it have belonged to a child?  It's also possible it lost some chain to "repairs" since one side is longer than the other.

Would someone buy this in the condition it's in?  I could go in search of a pearl though it wouldn't be a perfect match, but I don't know if it's worth the trouble?  What would you do if this were your piece?

[evelyb30]

Some of the adults were that tiny.  One of my great-grandmothers wasn't even five feet tall.  Some women were seriously small.  I'd go ahead and list it as is, flaws and all. 

[mforjan]

Test the gold, it will seriously effect your final selling price!

[arlene_v]

I agree with Marie please test this for gold content.

That coral is so lovely, and coral has become so desirable of late, esp the older pieces which are completely legit.

What a super necklace, warts and all.  I hope the new owner will consider having it professionally restored.

How long is it, when you say small? 

PS You ask if someone would buy it in this condition, yes, I would in an heartbeat. 

[oncoyotemountainart]

Thank you everyone for the input and encouragement.  I wil list it at some point.  I've found what I think is a good replacement pearl but that is really all I can do for it in the way of repairs.  Restoring it is beyond my talents.  I will test it at some point here when I find the spare minute.

It is currently about 14 inches long, but one side of the chain is longer than the other so I believe it started out at more like 16 inches.

It is a pretty little thing, it just breaks my heart to see it with blobs of solder on it.  

[rixstuff]

I sold a gorgeous topaz necklace from the 40s that was only 15 inches and it turned out to be too small for the buyer.  Sigh.  Many of my bracelets and necklaces are tiny and so many older rings are for super skinny fingers.  Gorgeous piece though!

[oncoyotemountainart]

I finally got around to testing this piece and it tests as 12k gold.  I'd like to list it tomorrow but now I can't find an appropriate search that turns up similar items.  I know there were several listed when I first started this thread, but I can't even find any comparables sold.  Did they tweak the search engine yet again?  I'm getting NOTHING close no matter how I search.  What is the good of a search engine if you can't find anything with it eBay???  And while I'm at it, way to screw up the boards yet again.  Do you live to kick yourself on a regular basis?

Does anyone have any suggestions for search words.  I've tried Victorian Edwardian Vintage Antique 12k gold festoon pendant swag coral pearl in various variations and permutations short and long and have gotten nothing even close?  I need some comparables before I even think about listing.

[oncoyotemountainart]

And for the record I am NOT a Thrill Seeker.  Adrenalin makes me ill, I obey all the speed limits and traffic signs and I have never jumped out of a plane nor do I want to.