Can anyone identify these?

[artking]

I was told these were natural pearls. Feel gritty to tooth and all very perfect.

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Lovely earrings. Are there any markings as to metal content? History? I collect pins like these, usually they are cultured pearls. Natural pearls usually don't all look "perfect", cultured ones usually would be quite uniform on such earrings and would look more "perfect. They actually used to put cultured pearls even on jewelry that was not real gold or silver. Most of mine however have the pearls mounted on individual metal posts. Can you supply another photo with a white background and no flash?

Daddys Little Pearls

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I agree, they look like cultured akoya pearls. The round bead inside them means they will tend to be rounder than natural pearls would be.

 

[KarinK]

By 'natural pearls' you might mean that the pearls are real and not fake. Within the pearl business 'natural pearl' means that the pearl was grown naturally in the oyster without any help from man as opposed to cultured pearls that also grow in oysters but the oyster has been grafted.

These pearls could well be akoya pearls. They are cultured pearls, real pearls but not natural.

- Karin

 

[Amrita]

By 'natural pearls' you might mean that the pearls are real and not fake. Within the pearl business 'natural pearl' means that the pearl was grown naturally in the oyster without any help from man as opposed to cultured pearls that also grow in oysters but the oyster has been grafted.

These pearls could well be akoya pearls. They are cultured pearls, real pearls but not natural.

- Karin

Well clarified Karin! Thanks!

 

[artking]

How are these?

 

[artking]

extra images with white background

extra images with white background

 

[pearl-man]

It is highly unlikely this many matched natural pearls would be on an earring back that is unsecure. I think.like the rest these are cultured Akoya. Keep you reye open for this color in pawn shops it can be hard to find if you loose one or one becomes damaged.
Norm

 

[Amrita]

Thanks for the new set of pictures. That's a really beautiful pair of earrings. But it is highly unlikely that these are natural pearls. They are most likely cultured Akoya pearls, but let the experts weigh in. Really lovely though.

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Just a second thought, taking another look at your photos, is there a jewelry store in your city that you could show these earring to? I am curious who told you they were natural pearls? The reason I ask is that in my collection of pins that are "pearls", most of mine are "real" pearls, most likely all cultured, but I have a few that are "faux" pearls, they look nearly identical to the cultured pearls, and they are mounted in the exact same way as your earrings, where as my cultured pearls pins have each pearl mounted on a post. Plus I just ordered a pin from an online seller calling it cultured pearls, again very similar, and they too were faux although lovely and well worth what I paid. I just really do want you to make sure these are indeed cultured pearls, as they did make some faux pearls that will produce a slight gritty feel on a tooth, especially the majorica company and others. It is really hard to tell in a photo as many of the very fine high quality faux pearls have a deceptive luster in photos. I think if you ask a jeweler if they are cultured or faux, most will more than glad to answer that question as long as you are not expecting them to appraise them. Plus if yours are real, they will view you as a potential customer for a matching necklace or ring. I think it is worth doing this so you will have a definitive answer. It is just the mounting that is a little troubling to me after examining my colllection again. They probably are cultured pearls, but I want you to get a correct evaluation.

Daddys Little Pearl

 

[artking]

First Thank you all so much for these comments. These were purchased by a friend of mine who found them "buried" in a "lot" of costume jewelry and rhinestones at an auction for the estate of an MGM costume designer for Hello Hollywood Hello in Vegas among many other productions. Upon closer inspection with a loop there is a 14K mark on the end of each clip. The pearls are not uniformly round and some have tiny dimples as well. I am an art appraiser and have little expertise in jewelry or pearls, obviously. Your point about the clip as apposed to stud is well taken and a mystery. They were taken to several jewelers who all said they were "Natural" and should be appraised.

Artking

 

[Marianne]

Welcome artking,
With the 14K mark and the dimples in the pearls, I would guess that they are cultured akoyas. They are classic and quite lovely!

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Good, the 14K mark pretty much cancels any worries about them being costume, especially when found in a group containing costume. So I would feel pretty comfortable with cultured Akoya as well.

Daddys Little Pearl

 

[artking]

Well thanks for all your help. Does anyone have a ballpark value for these if they turn out to be Akoya I-II grade?

 

[Caitlin]

I must have lost my post. I researched on eBay and found a couple similar but not identical, less fancy. I am sure there is a peg in that cup. That is a typical multi-akoya piece, could be 1950-1960's. I recommend you check for completed posting of akoya earrings, though more likely to find brooches than earrings.

 

[pearl-man]

If they have big holes. 1-5 $$. If you had a paper of all of these loose TAKE THE FIRST $50. and have a good dinner.
There is no demand for this color, and if hey been redrill end to accommodate large posts .. $20. if you ind a dealer interested.
Norm