Posted 7 years ago
vintiquech…
(8 items)
I love this necklace but I don't know anything about it. I bought it at a boot sale in the North of Scotland a few weeks ago. I can't see any maker's marks or stamps but it is silver and has a good age patina so I am reluctant to clean it to look more closely for a mark.
It is 16 inches long and weighs 27.5 grams. The bolt ring is large, just over 1/2 an inch diameter and it comes right off so I do not know if it is original to the chain or not (but it does look right).
It is beautifully made and I think it looks victorian and Italian. I don't know what the little drops are that come from the flowers - they look a bit like acorns or pineapples so I would be really happy to know what others think they are and also any ideas about age, origin and possibly a maker would be appreciated.
Quite a necklace!!
Thanks for your comments :) I just wish I knew more about it!
This is awesome and very well made. I've never seen a clasp like that and I also thought pineapples. Acorns are a good thought too, what about pinecones? But with a flower...hmmm.I don't think the patina on this is too dark to hide a mark but I saw what might, maybe, hoping this may be a little something? Look at the back side of one of the drops, it's the one below the and just to the right of it in the bottom row. It sort of looks like a little animal design to me. Very hard to tell but might be worth inspecting!
Sometimes you have to look so hard that you want to give up but we all just keep going. Also look inside the loop that the clasp holds onto.
Thankyou Shareurpassion! I will have to buy a slightly better loupe! I did think I could see some marks on the backs of a few of the pine cones (you are right, more like pine cones than pineapples!) but thought they were just a result of the production process and just wishful thinking on my part. I will have another look and maybe gently clean a little on the clasp and get back with another close up if I find anything.
Ooh! I love the design of your beautiful necklace, Victorian for me, but I don't think it can be called a book chain model.
Sometimes the glass on one side of a loupe can loosen and that makes all the difference. I also have to say, remember when I was telling you how you can look and look again and then one day... I kid you not, it just happened to me once again! I've had a piece for over 10 years and had it out the other day. Decided just maybe i ought to give it another try and sure enough, there it was. Funny thing is the spot it was in and it was not a small or short word. I will have to post it. It's from Czechoslovakia. And that's what I mean about it not being a short word. It was NOT shortened to Czeh either! I thought of you and laughed.
Thank you Kyratango! I wasn't sure. I have seen a few antique Italian necklaces since I posted this and there are similarities to pieces by Fratelli Coppini in 800 silver from Florence - I think maybe from the same time and area, not necessarily by Coppini as his work seems to be more figural (from what I've see) but the same techniques perhaps.
Definitely not what is meant by a 'book chain'. They actually have links that remind you of books. Not English sterling, or it would be marked in a way no tarnish could hide. Italian 800 silver is a good guess. The little drops look to me as though they are inspired by pine cones, but very stylized. It fascinates me that the pine cones are flat on the back but there are flowers on both sides so could be reversible.
I have a very similar clasp that came with a gold chain with large links. Think I paid less because the seller described it as broken. Was puzzled by the design, until I saw a very fancy, expensive, necklace that could convert from having a large decorative panel at the center or be worn as the chain alone. It had 2 such clasps, one of them attached to the chain, the other free like this one.
Thanks for your info cameosleuth! I also think it is 800 silver. I can't see any way that the pine cone parts could be removed to leave just the chain with the flowers and wouldn't look great with the plain sides at the front so yes, it is fascinating that the flowers are on both sides when the pine cones are not.