old stock of pearls

[parfaitelumiere]

Hello,

During my virtual pearl hunting, or more.. fishing process, I found this lot.
It was sold with 2 old broken handles, probably old UK cutlery or stamps.
I think the pearls are a old stock or american river pearl, mississipi, or something like this, probably XIX or so.
The shapes, especially the kind fo winged ones are very similar to freshwater american pearls, up to almost 1" in size.
There are some white pearls, and some darker, most of the darker are nicer, better luster or color.
many visible on top are cut "wings", I don't understand why they are cut.
I don't know why I found so many, were there a use of shells for food at this time?
or maybe the shells were used to make buttons or so, before used for bead making.
I didn't find any native american items using pearls.

 

[MSC]

Those do look very much like American river pearls. Some of those "cut" pearls look like polished turbo shells, which were used in jewelry commonly during the late 1800's.

 

[parfaitelumiere]

Here are better pictures.

One is all the raw pearls, some are blisters some are even hollow.
then, the 3 I kept in collection, and then all the cut wings for jewelry purpose.
I saw several jewelry examples, using this kind of cut pearls, to make flowers or pendant on lavalliere, brooches or pins.
I am not sure all are freshwater pearls, I read something about alabama pealrs (saltwater?!) and some with purplish or pinish hue make me think about maybe salwter stuff, more translucent than other obvisously white pearls.
It may be possible there are 2 different species, or some variation on same specie, but it's quite easy to spare th pearls making 2 groups, the white, and the others.

 

[GemGeek]

Sooooo pretty!

 

[parfaitelumiere]

The turbo shells you are mentionning MSC are not pictured on my last phitis, there also was a very small nautilus piece in the lot.
Here is exactly the jewelry you are refering, and exactly the kind of shell parts I had in the lot, about 5 of them or so.

 

[MSC]

That second photo really cleared that up. Wonder why they would cut those pearls for? Perhaps setting?

 

[parfaitelumiere]

yes, setting, I saw several jewelr using this mount.
Also, there are several broken pealrs and one is exactly as cut, but broken, it seems these pearls have weakness on this plan, because of preferential growth.

The turbo shell are not pictured on my second batch of photos.

 

[Katbran]

Really interesting ! I can't see why the pearls were cut other than the ends were particularly ugly and they removed them to make an easier setting surface ??

 

[Camelotshadow]

Hmmm sort of reminds me of chipped teeth...

 

[amti]

What a neat find!!!

 

[MSC]

American river pearls come from a variety of mussel species (and therefore a variety of colors), but they are all freshwater. I've never heard of "Alabama pearls" before, but I'm sure the Gulf Coast has pearl bearing bivalves (or did before the Deep Horizon spill).

 

[parfaitelumiere]

it's maybe not alabama, I don't remember exaclty, I kniw it seems to be grey(?) or dark(?) saltwater pearls but don't remember what.
However, I am starting to think about pinna or atrina pearls, after I saw a video.
Its maybe south carolina or so, dont remember the state, just finished with "A" letter.

 

[MSC]

Iowa pearls? It all means the same thing - American river pearls can come from any river watershed throughout the country...

As far as I'm aware, pinna or atrina are saltwater species (need to look in Strack) and wouldn't be considered American river pearls. What you have in your lot in this thread are American river pearls from freshwater mussels.

 

[parfaitelumiere]

Where did I mention pinna to be freshwater specie?
I just mentionned not to be sure all the pearls to be freshwater, as the white and dark are very different, and I read about grey or dark pearl from saltwater.
Also mentionned the fact same specie to eventually give various colors, in this specific case, very strong variation.
So I don't understand why you insist about "saltwater american river pearls" aha.
Sadly I didn't find any picture about these darker "us saltwater pearls".
The only result I found about US saltwater, it's North Carolina and specie is pinna, some youtube videos, meaning definitely none of my pearls come from this specie.
Not sure to have read about "texas pearls", but same issue, no very good information about them.

 

[MSC]

I think there's some communication misunderstanding here.

 

[parfaitelumiere]

Yes, still funny aha.

I was thinking about a good idea, as a trade area on the forum, not for making money or so, but much a s a genuine trade area, I have this you have that etc.
Probably acvailable after a amount of time, one month or more AND a bit of posts, to void just sellers...

I know I would trade most of these pearls, and probably some necklaces, or even loose akoyas in the future, could be useful to other members, for crafting or repair, and I could get something interesting in return, even, offering repairs for material could be good.
So making a ral trade are could be great.

 

[MSC]

I'd be interested in that too! I think PS has an area for something like that...