Let's See if You Agree With the Seller

[mausketeer]

hi guys, just scored this lovely strand, thought it would be fun to ask the experts FIRST what they thought about them before saying what the seller THINKS they are so..... just photos first...... (personally, I have no idea.....I'm too much of a noob to know the ropes on this one)...... all opinions please! (then I'll reply with more info)

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Chinese fwp-- Rice krispies from the 1980s

 

[jshepherd]

They definitely have the texture and color of the Rice Krispies, but you don't often see them drilled like that and the shape is a little more free-form than usual. I am guessing that they are being offered as oyster pearls, although the color seems very white for something like P. sterna Mexican naturals, the shape would work. They could come from a separated lot, however.

 

[pattye]

Hmmm, maybe cultured pearls from Lake Biwa, Japan? The color and luster are interesting.

 

[dkan 168]

Looks like early CFWPs to me too.

DK

 

[mausketeer]

....anyone else? I'll give it a few more......

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Are they claiming they are Mississippi River pearls?

 

[jshepherd]

If they were naturals, I don't believe they would be Mississippi River naturals. They do have that Cristaria plicata, Krispie look from China, but still "off." If they were, it would be a strand of what was left over, randomly drilled and more randomly strung. They just wouldn't have the value to do that, IMO, and some wouldn't have been drilled the way there are in a commercial setting. I think they are natural baroque saltwater.

 

[kiwipaul]

Well for what it is worth they are sitting in a box by by R.&S. Garrard, appointed by Queen Victoria as the Crown Jewellers in 1843.
The company dealt with a number of famous jewels, for example in 1852 Garrard were given the responsibility of re-cutting the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond into a brilliant.

Hard to read the box label, but if it says to R.&S. Garrard & Co, the addition of "& Co." dates the box to 1843-1909. After 1909 they were Garrard & Co Ltd.

However the box may bear no relation to the pearls, and if I saw them in a thrift shop I'd assume they were older Chinese FW and wouldn't even bother to pick them up and look at them ... unless they were in that box, then I'd buy them just to get the box.

 

[pattye]

Good eyes, Paul, I couldn't make out the box info at all. Now I am REALLY curious!

One more guess~natural Scottish River pearls?

 

[mausketeer]

Okay, thanks for all your input everyone! Well, they are from the UK, and yes Pattye, the seller said that she believes they may be Scottish river pearls. When I asked why she thinks this (because I too thought they obviously looked like Chinese cultured "rice Krispy" pearls) she said she was basing her belief on seeing Scottish pearls over the course of many years (she has a store, not sure if it's just on-line or brick and mortar as well).

Now, to make things more interesting, after I had won them, she noticed the gold mark that she had missed earlier - 750 for 18 karat gold (I believe that is a British mark? Or was that used by all European countries?). That does seem to indicate they were at least VALUED, so maybe they ARE Scottish pearls? All the photos I've managed to find (which are not many) of Scottish pearls though they seem more round than these...... so...... I just don't know.

(oh, box not included by the way..... lol)

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Wow, fascinating!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

They do have that Cristaria plicata, Krispie look from China, but still "off." If they were, it would be a strand of what was left over, randomly drilled and more randomly strung. They just wouldn't have the value to do that, IMO, and some wouldn't have been drilled the way there are in a commercial setting.

I agree. The match is random and drilling by width suggest early FWP. It doesn't stand to reason that anyone would use naturals to replicate the appearance of a rice krispy strand.

And Jodie, don't buy into the "believes" part in the absence of other documentation or opinion.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

(oh, box not included by the way..... lol)

Now that is odd-- why on earth would she not include the box if it actually belonged with the pearls?

And if it doesn't belong, then why did she use it as a prop?

 

[GemGeek]

Just remember that at one time these kind of freshwater pearls were a big deal

 

[pattye]

Let us know what you think when you receive them! (I'm guessing you don't have them in hand yet.) They will probably be even prettier after a little bath. I don't know what kind of pearls they are actually.

 

[mausketeer]

Oh, I've seen many on-line merchants using "nice jewelry boxes" to display items that don't and didn't come in them for the photos..... that part didn't factor in to it for me...... so used to seeing it.

So the early cultured "rice Krispy" FW pearls may have used an 18k clasp anyways? Hmm, okay, good to know. I just assumed they were always very low cost. I remember them from the '70's and '80's and they were so cheap then..... so Biwas were the first, then the rice shape (not from Lake Biwa). Correct? Then potato, off-round, then the flood of other shapes......

Oh, and yes, they're not "in-hand" as of yet. I'll be sure to post photos when I receive them. Be interested mostly to know whether it will be worth following up on the Scottish pearls question. I LOVE a good mystery!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I have a rice krispie bracelet from the 1980s with 14k gold clasp and ball spacer beads....also rice krispie dangle earrings set in 14K. Haven't seen them in 18K but maybe they did use that in Europe.

As far as the box, if the box has a jeweler's or brand name on it and doesn't come with the pearls, to me that is deceptive. A pretty box is fine, a box with a name, no....JMO

 

[mausketeer]

As far as the box, if the box has a jeweler's or brand name on it and doesn't come with the pearls, to me that is deceptive. A pretty box is fine, a box with a name, no....JMO

Yes, that part I would have to agree with. She seemed like a nice lady, perhaps I'll point that out to her. She was using it for all her photos with all her pieces, I'm sure it wasn't meant to be intentionally misleading.

 

[pearlescence]

If they are natural freshwater mussel pearls from the UK then she needs a licence to sell them. If she sells without a licence I think the fine is ?5k per pearl ....
If the box does not travel with the pearls that is a breach of the law in the UK too - we have strict rules about not deceiving customers and an image such as that would be just as much an attempt to deceive as saying that the pearls were from the Crown Jewellers.
Could you PM me the details and I'll report her to the appropriate government official who would be very happy to have a conversation with her - it's his job to protect all the freshwater mussels in the UK (Not just the ones in Scotland)
She's also talking nonsense and possibly breaking the law if she is selling gold without a hallmark - a 750 stamp isn't a hallmark - see http://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/welcome-to-the-assay-office/