02-07-2016 09:02 AM
As I am nearing the end of the first round of jewelry, and hop back over to first edition books, I have to switch it up occasionally or I get completely obsessed with one type of item, and make myself, and my family crazy...here is a very attractive, very ornate set, multiple materials, but no mark. Amazing that something this unusual would not have a mark proudly displayed. The meatal backs are I think silver or silverplate, I think it may be a semi-valuable set, but what the heck would you call this mix of medium?
02-07-2016 12:05 PM
If I`m seeing correctly a lobster clasp (?)..indications are a very modern set.
The multi strand necklace style is considered a torsade
02-07-2016 12:35 PM
to tell if a pearl is real or faux, first thing I do is rub it against my teeth. Faux pearls are usually very smooth, while real pearls are gritty. Some high quality man made pearls done with mother of pearl can also feel gritty but they are usually marked
02-07-2016 02:26 PM
Yes, lobster claw, not as special as I first thought then, The tooth pearl test I admit I have not mastered, and trust me, I have tried, I just cannot grasp those subtle nuances, though I do admit I find it fascinating, my pictures do not do it justice. The pearls have no nicks or wear, so I cannot rule them out as natural, like I can with, dare I say, at least 50% of what I have bought represented as real pearls, actually pearl beads..what would be the next step to test for natural pearls? This set is very attractive, and I will go the extra step, V76
02-07-2016 02:42 PM
02-07-2016 03:04 PM
I will check again, I pulled them apart to get a better side view, and they looked solid, not like others I have boxes of now, I really could have a whole store section of pearl beads, o n the surface they look great, but with a mag glass, lets just say my granddaughter has a very large dress up box, which she uses often, very entertaining! I just might put this in the appraisal box, I cannot find any flaws, I'm just back, I paid very little for the lot, might just be worth it, but lets not forget I thought art glass looked like natural stone..I do tend to get ahead of myself..so appreciative of all of your collective help once again, V76
02-08-2016 06:25 AM
02-08-2016 04:01 PM
Good tip, some of the glass pearl beads are really quite nice, I found yet another beautiful strand, nice weight, great light chocolate color, knotted, and...glass. I really am thinking after many close inspections with pretty much everything that will magnify, as fluffy and candy like the set is, I am convinced the irregular pearls are just that, ( and god knows I have p-lenty of to compare them to..) I have a batch of items going to M. Lawson, he appraises for The Antiques Roadshow, great buyer,located here in Albany, I'll let you all know what happens! Worst case scenario, I have a great costume set, which I think will go quickly, Thank You for all of your collective help, V76
02-08-2016 08:00 PM
I really do think they are faux pearls. There are several things that point to that for me, but I could be wrong. I see some pearls that have the excess coating around the edge of the hole which is common in faux pearls. Also in the first photo that shows the earring, there is a flaw on one of the pearls that is a blip in the plastic coating. There were some fakes made that looked very good until you touched them or scratched them. There were manufacturers making faux pearls that had inconsistent sizes so they looked more real.
Also the color on them is super consistent. With pearls of this size and grade I don't believe they would be so dead on consistent in color if they were real. The colors would vary from white white to slightly yellow to cream or pink tones. Matching color in pearls is an art, and to get that many of that grade of pearls so consistent isn't likely. I also don't see any rainbow effects on these pearls, but just a flat white. How heavy is the strand? With this many real pearls it would be quite heavy.
The most telling thing though is that they're mixed in with glass beads, and not great glass beads either. The set was commercially made which you can tell by the earrings. Artisans don't make earrings like that. So a commercial manufacturer would not have mixed real pearls with cheap glass beads and used those settings for the earrings. Everything about it says 70’s faux pearl to me.
02-09-2016 04:34 AM
Thanks for the input! I'll let you know what the definitive answer is, I know it's harder when you don't have them in hand, and if faux, still a saleable set, win,win either way! V76
02-09-2016 05:23 AM
You might want to take a look at fresh water pearls.
This may help you too. http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Identify-Fake-Pearls-/10000000001450264/g.html
02-09-2016 05:45 AM
I really like the shared links, Thnx!