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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

I purchased this at an estate sale. The seller claimed it was a 1950's piece. I have collected LOTS of costume over the years and this piece intrigued me. I have never seen a bracelet quite like this bangle. I am not sure if the "white" is bakelite or something else. The wire decoration I found to be unusual. So, if anyone has a clue of who, what, where & when it was made please give me any of your thoughts. Thank you for your thoughts!

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Minsatisstuff Hodgepodge Collection
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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

That is indeed an unusual bracelet and very pretty.

It looks too white to be bakelite (which ages to a sort of creamed-corn yellow), and I wouldn't expect bakelite in a 50s piece; if it's plastic it's more likely to be something in the acrylic family. Also loupe it very carefully to make sure it's not ivory or bone.

You can test for bakelite by using Simichrome metal polish or Wright's silver cream (in the jar, not the liquid). Use a little on a q-tip and a positive test will turn yellow.


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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

I agree with Blue..very pretty!!    Only thing I would add is the area you are gonna 'test'  try & clean it first make sure there is no nicotene on it...in case it was ever in a smoking environmet..that way you won`t get a false reading 

~~~Sarah~~~There's only ONE bad day when you love an animal
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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

I did loupe the white and I did use a mild soap & water wash. Now ite nice and clean. If youlook at the whie with the loupe it looks like it was "carved"? I don't know how to explain it. It looks like someone used a very small knife to shape it. Thank you both. It is still a mystery!!!!!

Minsatisstuff Hodgepodge Collection
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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

Hmmmmm..wonder if it could possibly be some kind of bone or even ivory?  I don`t know how to test for that.

 

It`s defintely unusal..perhaps artisan??

 

 Did the seller give you any indication how or where they aquired it?  

~~~Sarah~~~There's only ONE bad day when you love an animal
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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

Pretty Bangle Bracelet. My gut says modern retro look South Asian or Middle Eastern Costume.

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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

Thank you for giving me an opinion. I need all the opinions people have out there! I bought it in Whitehall, NY. The seller only told me she thought it was from the 50's- thats it. I never considered that it might be artisan-  good point to research on. If it is ivory, I'm pretty sure I can't auction it on this sight. I have heard that if you heat a pin ( to where it turns red) and press it against the ivory portion- it should smell like burning hair. Maybe thats an old wives tale- I dunno..... I have to find an inconspicuous place on the piece to do that. I have a couple of pieces I purchased in that area... so I'll post questions about those as soon as I figure out what the bangle is. This is a great group. I hope to help other people on this group identify their mystery jewelry.


@1940fc wrote:

Hmmmmm..wonder if it could possibly be some kind of bone or even ivory?  I don`t know how to test for that.

 

It`s defintely unusal..perhaps artisan??

 

 Did the seller give you any indication how or where they aquired it?  


 

Minsatisstuff Hodgepodge Collection
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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

Please don`t use a hot needle on it...soooo many pcs have been ruined  and since the material is unknown....some items are flammable!!  You don`t want that. Cat Surprised

~~~Sarah~~~There's only ONE bad day when you love an animal
Message 8 of 10
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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

I think it's pure costume - that's not bakelite or ivory for certain. Not bone. It looks like acrylic and goldtoned metal. Just don't ask me whodunnit.

She who dies with the most toys still dies; when's the estate sale?
Message 9 of 10
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I need help with this vintage bangle bracelet. Age? Maker?

Um... Second about avoiding hot pin tests, but it seems to me that you'd get a burning hair smell from HORN, not ivory. Horn is made of keratin, the same stuff as hair, whereas tusks are basically teeth. A better way to tell ivory is by a pattern of crosshatched lines.


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