Is there another name for these type of pearls? what next?

[Beccalina]

Hello!

Below are some pics of some pearls buttons I found out thrifting a couple years ago. After they sat in a drawer for awhile I decided to take them in and have them appraised. The lady said that they were called rose bud pearls, but I javen't been able to find out much information or any similar ones online. Do they have another name?

They look to be vintage and I'm guessing that there were some type of shirt stud; there are actually two sets, a set of 4 and a set of 3. The mountings did test positive for 14K gold, and I was told that her opinion was that they were natural american pearls but there was no way to tell for sure unless they were x-ray'd. At some point in the future I would like to sell them. Should I go ahead and have them done? Any recommendations?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Becca

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Interesting pearls.

They certainly present as natural.

These look as though they can be candled easily. Even without back light, these pearls appear somewhat transluscent. A good sign.

Also a good thing, is you have three nearly matched sets, which adds value.

I find it curious, these would be used as buttons, especially with solid gold. Not casual wear by any description, but begs the question.. what kind of fashion?

Somewhere in the back of my mind and given the time period, I did consider John LaT's inventory, but then again I've never actually seen his inventory other than a single strand owned by his wife. It takes a pool of pearls to make sets. Wherever these came from, there was likely more. There are a few experts here who are much better versed in American FWP's.

You have nice pearls and they are worthy of further investigation.

Thank you for sharing them with us.

 

[pearlescence]

Freshwater rosebuds have very little value but are valued by some for their variety and unusual surface, plus often remarkable patches of mirror lustre.
I have some in stock, both strands and single undrilled - these look quite like yours...?

 

[pattye]

They are also called druzy or drusy pearls. Very interesting, for sure! I've never seen them as buttons before. Here's the website for American Pearl: http://www.americanpearlcompany.com/

 

[jshepherd]

There are a few threads on this.

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6835

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2675

In the second, Valeria makes a good point about the natural rosebuds and links to the same site as above.

 

[Beccalina]

@Lagoon Island Pearls I was surprised they were buttons as well, and interestingly there are no hallmarks on the gold, not even a 14K. Given the level of detail on the mountings of the one set, I would guess these were for special occasions
@pearlescence Yes in shape they are similar, although mine seem smaller and more translucent, but of course it is always hard to capture that stuff in a photo.

Thanks to you all! I read through all the information and I think I will go ahead and take them back to the appraiser so she can send them off the GIA to be tested. Fingers crossed they are natural!

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

John LaT's daughter Gina might be able to give you some information, see the posting by Pattye above for their website link. You can view a catalog of some of her historic Tennessee freshwater pearls there. It is a really lovely set, and I have seen other sets with real gold and the use of fancy materials including pearls. Historic Tennessee freshwater pearls are sold by the carat weight, so in your case, size matters on these, as well as quality. Any possibility you can shoot some other photos using a white background, good lighting and no camera flash? That way some of the forum experts might be able to judge the luster or orient of your pearls. Really lovely set.

 

[Beccalina]

Any possibility you can shoot some other photos using a white background, good lighting and no camera flash? That way some of the forum experts might be able to judge the luster or orient of your pearls. Really lovely set.

Thanks, Here are some pictures using just the morning light with them on a plain white sheet of paper. You can see that they are just so luminescent! A nice cream color with a hint of rose, also for their size they seem to have a nice heft to them.

Here are a few details from the appraiser:
Size: 13-15 mm
Body: Light Cream
Overtone: Slight Rose to Rose
Orient: Faint to moderate
Luster: Medium
Roundness: Off-round (flat back and domed similar to a mabe pearl)
Nacre Thickness: Thick


I'm not sure if it is helpful I really don't know much about pearls, but have quickly fell in love with these. I'm thinking of keeping two and having them made into earrings.

 

[pattye]

Great photos! Yes, I'd be tempted to make earrings also, so unique!

 

[Caitlin]

The best guess is maybe American freshwaters, but I'd be really interested in what the GIA has to say. This kind of freshwater is the toughest to place geographically.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Freshwater rosebuds have very little value but are valued by some for their variety and unusual surface, plus often remarkable patches of mirror lustre.
I have some in stock, both strands and single undrilled - these look quite like yours...?

These were sourced from China?

They do look alike. It's easy to get thrown off track when nice findings are fashioned with otherwise inexpensive pearls.

There has been discussions here, albeit subjective, where tissue grafted FWPs have characteristic contrasts in the views, namely geometric shapes similar to the dimensions of the graft. Meanwhile naturals present with markedly different and often unique patterns.

In this case, lab work or xrays might not give all the answers, because they are drilled and filled. It's expensive and prohibitive if they're of little value. Even at best and because they are drilled, the lab report may not be conclusive and/or needlessly devalue otherwise rare pearls.

To the OP... hold them to a light. Ask yourself if the centers look alike or different. I could take any 7 pearls at random from my natural pearl collection and would likely see 5, 6 or even 7 different nuclei.

 

[Beccalina]

In this case, lab work or xrays might not give all the answers, because they are drilled and filled. It's expensive and prohibitive if they're of little value. Even at best and because they are drilled, the lab report may not be conclusive and/or needlessly devalue otherwise rare pearls.QUOTE]

I see, I didn't realize that since they have been drilled and mounted that any additional lab work may be inconclusive. After looking at the fees associated with that level of research, I am super hesitant to go that route (especially since I only paid a nickel for them). Plus if these are indeed natural which was the assumption of the insurance appraisal I was given (which was shockingly high to me), I would only expect to realized maybe 30% or less of that value. Is that a fair estimate?

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

If these were mine, I would not want to pay a high fee for the certification, especially when there is not overwhelming evidence or opinion that they are natural. Natural Tennessee freshwaters are rare and valuable in large sizes, but the high prices are only available if you know the actual species that produced the pearl, the exact location, etc. Otherwise they would be a generic natural USA freshwater pearl, still worth money but not as much. Collectors want pearls that have a more specific identification. Speaking as someone who sells antique & vintage jewelry, the value IMO lies more in the fact of their purpose, these old sets are not easy to find pearls or not. I had a set that had Italiann glass beads that sold for over 300 bucks and it was not real gold either. The only issue there is if you use two for earrings you won't be able to get as much for the set.

 

[Caitlin]

I think the gold is worth its weight, and the largeness of the pearls is rare. I doubt they are American because of the size, but I doubt they are Chinese, because of the gold, I can't say for sure, but I do know the Chinese would not have used the gold, though the buyer might have, for a wedding dress or something. I think you could get at least $300.00 for the set, just going by the prices on fancy buttons. However, it make take effort to sell them or market them to the right people.

I would call Yone's bead shop in SF or someone like that. http://www.yonesf.com/ They have a huge array of antique buttons as well as beads, and ask them if they have seen pearl buttons- not just mother of pearl buttons. The fellow that runs that shop now that Yone is passed, is extremely nice as nice as Yone was. they help costume makers, etc. that is where I got my start as a beader almost fifty years ago. And, they have continued to collect for the last 50 year. The shop is a hoot, floor to ceiling beads stacked in boxes on shelves.

Look at this series from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLZFEMvaSy0&list=PLtgOFXUHr1JrpDa9KzjrPdeJykaANq8sg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ala8Npudmsk
This one shows the store in the 60'. That could be me on the front step.

 

[Beccalina]

@Caitlin Thank you for the links, the Yone bead shop looks like an amazing place.
@Daddys Little Pearl Thank you for your thoughts, they are appreciated!


From the appraisal I know there is a troy oz of 14k gold, and just the price of the gold is a decent value amount. But this set is so beautiful I could never sell it just for the gold. For now I think I will just tuck them back into a drawer and hold on to them. While cash is nice, I think I would rather do something special with them.

The large one would make a stunning ring! Would that usage be ok? Or would the pearl have a potential of getting damaged? How fragile is a pearl?

 

[Caitlin]

A troy Ounce? Maybe you should forget selling them, recover the gold and make them into rings and pendants with sterling. Or use some of the gold to have a ring made. I am not sure the GIA can tell American from Chinese freshwater by tests, can they? So the pearls may not be provable anything. In that case, reuse them. I LOVE the sizes!!! A ring, earrings and a 3 pearl pendant, oh, yes.

This kind of pearl is extremely durable. It is solid nacre. It won't break unless you hit it with a hammer It won't show scratches, either.

 

[pearlescence]

I'm loving the idea of pearl buttons..I think I'll make some with sterling silver and vermeil....rosebud or regular....?

 

[GemGeek]

Before our time, fancy buttons were sewn on, then removed for laundering. Because of the findings and the age they indicate, I would assume they are naturals. Gold without a stamp was not uncommon in the US. You don't need a pearl report to enjoy them. It's true that they probably wouldn't bring a lot of money at sale, but selling them as a set of antique freshwater pearl buttons might fetch $150 or more. The trick is finding the right place or person.