Pearls from Scottish river Tay

[CLICLASP]

Hi PG friends,
I have been searching through the forum about that kind of pearls and posts were very old, so I decide to start a new one.
As usual, I will put more photos than speaches to avoid bad english

Seriously, it was a long time that I was searching for Tay river pearls for my collection, and here it is, I got some
It is a vintage silver brooch with looking like blister pearls or half cut pearls (would this be possible? )
The luster is nice to see, better than in photos, the color is creamy, not yellowish, they are not faded, shape of baroque little ones makes me think of children' milk teeth.
The brooch is 32 mm diameter, the pearls are about 8 mm x 5 mm x 3 mm thick.
well I am happy !!!

Now I know we have pearl experts overthere and few scottish members.
So all comments are welcome.

 

[CLICLASP]

I think it's now the right section to add London's natural history museum Tay pearls and mussel (sorry for quality of photos again).

 

[PARAS BHAKTI PEARL CO]

Hi
From the picture it seems that it has been someones favourite and has been used very often. The pearl used are probably half-cut. A pretty one to have in ones collection.

 

[pearlescence]

Hi
How do you know that these are Tay pearls?
Is there a provenance or are you following other clues?

 

[CLICLASP]

You are perfectly right.
It is from the source who says so, Any expert advice on the authenticity is welcome.
Is someone here used to see some already?

 

[pearlescence]

Is the piece hallmarked (and if so Edinburgh mark?) The style could be scottish - like an old shawl pin....
I know Tay pearls cannot legally be sold here without a licence at first sale but not sure if that rule applies also to antique sales.

 

[CLICLASP]

It is not hallmarked, IMHO not a high grad jewellery, the case coming with is very old, the insidemark show "est. 1834", comes from an old estate.
I am wondering about the specific orient of those pearls versus any other white pearl, does someone knows about?

 

[Bodecia]

Hi CliClasp,

They remind me of some blister pearls I have in a brooch. Pearls in brooch are whiter but they look similar apart from that. Flat backs etc. and I wondered if they had been cut or were true blisters.

I like your pearls BTW. All naturals have that special something.

I could take a couple of photos of my brooch and upload them if you approve. If you agree I will take a photo from the front and back and upload.

I don't know if mine are river or saltwater but they do look similar to me. So hard to know for sure sometimes.

I am wondering if your pearls are just dirty from the years and would come "up" with the salt sludge treatment. Have tried some serious cleaning? i.e. the salt sludge or anything else you might know of that really cleans the old grot off pearls and polishes them at the same time?

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 - who hopes to have a personal website soon

 

[CLICLASP]

Of course, lets' share , that what this forum is all about !
I have strictly no idea on how to clean this little one and all advices are welcome.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi CliClasp,

This is a quote from Caitlin under Peeling Pearls (could just look up Salt Sludge too) -

I have some naturals that someone recommended a salt slurry for cleaning. Just enough distilled water so there are still lots of wet salt cystals. I slooshed them around in that for a minute, them rinsed them in more distilled water, then let them sit in the bathroom (where it is humid) and lt them rehydrate.

I have done the same and pearls, even cultured come up well. I have done it for longer than a minute, although I checked after a minute. Put in some plastic container with a lid so you don't end up with a mess of salty sludge everywhere and swill them around. Check after a minute, rinse clean water again (I find tank water great so if you have that use it, cheaper than distilled but if not only distilled). If you think they have cleaned up great continue to rinse in distilled or tank water and if not pop them back in your salt sludge for another minute or even two, and then rinse, rinse again.

Hope Caitlin or Wendy jumps in here as I know they both use the method but not sure how long they would use the treatment for. I think it is safe as long as nacre is thick and with naturals, river, salt, or normal freshwaters, I don't think there would be a problem but hope an expert comes in on that.

As to them not being high quality I think you may be wrong. Just because they were not valued highly decades ago, when more were available, does not mean that they are not now high quality and regarded as so by pearl lovers.

I am mad about all kinds of naturals. Been meaning to contact you about your pearl clasps. Will email you privately tomorrow about them.

Wendy is there a ban on Tay Pearls??

Will add photos tomorrow.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[Bodecia]

Hi again,

Meant to say that I think it is far more likely that your pearls in brooch and mine are more likely to be blister than cut in half pearls.

Once again hope the experts jump in.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[Bodecia]

Hi CliClasp and All,

This is the first I have heard of Tay Pearls from Scotland. I have uploaded the pearl brooch I have that looks very similar to the pearls that CliClasp has. These photos are old and I forgot to charge my batteries so can't take better photos until tomorrow. Then I will upload more. As you can see from these photos the colour near the silver is similar (probably dirt and general grot) to the pearls in your brooch.

My brooch came from Britain so I suppose it is possible that they could be Tay River pearls.

Can anyone enlighten me as to the story on Tay River Pearls. I take it they the mussels are endangered for there to be a ban on selling them.

Will do a search and see what I can find out.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[CLICLASP]

It's incredible how close they look like the ones of the brooch. In my opinion, the setting is not even silver but plain metal.
Anyway the luster is very good, and the children teeth looking like absolutly lovely.
By the time you posted, I had my little one cleaned and here it is !

 

[GemGeek]

Wow, pearly siblings!

 

[Bodecia]

Hi,

Wow they really do look similar, especially now you cleaned yours. Mine is still a bit grotty so will do that and take more photos. Better ones. Even the settings are very similar. Apart from shape of settings that is.

CliClasp how did you clean them. You had better share now because they came up a treat! Did you use the salt sludge and for how long did you swish them around.

My brooch is not marked either but will test it tomorrow. But I was told it was silver.

Just did some reading up and looking at photos of Tay River Pearls. They have suffered the same as all other natural pearls. Horrid isn't it. Some of the pearls I spotted were very beautiful. It is still a great shame that freshwater pearls have the lesser appreciation by the general public. So many put many salt water pearls to shame.

Our pearls do look like siblings. Guess we are family now CliClasp.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[pearlescence]

The Tay is only one of the rivers: more info http://www.snh.org.uk/press/detail.asp?id=1926

There are two jewellers in Edinburgh licenced to deal in scottish pearls but I have a feeling they have not had any to deal in for some years.

I did see reports that one bed was harvested illegally last year but it is thought no pearls were found

 

[CLICLASP]

First cleaning, I did what you said, brushed all around a little, counting till 15 in the water then rince,
Second, about freshwater pearls as far as I can see, saltwater pearls prices decrease when the most beautiful freshwater ones increase, so in a way, customers do it justice. Only beauty counts, and when one gets eyes to see both pearls and prices ... it works .
Yes we are in the" scottish pearl family" now

.......

CliClasp how did you clean them. You had better share now because they came up a treat! Did you use the salt sludge and for how long did you swish them around.
.......

It is still a great shame that freshwater pearls have the lesser appreciation by the general public. So many put many salt water pearls to shame.

Our pearls do look like siblings. Guess we are family now CliClasp.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[Bodecia]

You really did a great job. Even the silver looks clean. How did you do that or did the salt sludge help with that too? How many times did you brush and swish. Works doesn't it. I use the plastic container for most of the swishing around but also use a soft tooth brush if it is an item like a brooch or a string of pearls which has a lot of grot.

Anyone that starts researching pearls and comes across the Pearl Guide soon learns that freshwater pearls can be wonderful and better than saltwater many times but general public still probably have a prejudice against FWs.

Yes, the beauty is what counts but also the long life of all nacre pearls and that is what our freshwater beauties have.

Check back tomorrow around this time and I will have uploaded my pics of brooch all cleaned up. They look so very similar. The pearls in my brooch are pretty much the same size as yours. 7 to 9mm x 5 mm x 3 to 4.5 mm. I think whatever they are we have the same pearls so keep me/us informed please.

Did you have to pay a fortune for yours? Mine didn't cost me an arm and a leg. I was lucky.

One other thing. Been meaning to say for ages that I love the way you do pearl clasps. I soon hope to buy some from you. Hope I am allowed to say that. Think that is okay. Will contact you privately when I can lash out and buy a few. Maybe get you to send me a price list. If you have one

Bye again, Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[Bodecia]

Thanks pearlescence,

Very interesting information. Have you seen any Tay River pearls in the flesh so to speak.

I found some interesting info on Kari Pearls site too. And photos. Always nice.

I know someone suggested a little while back (not long ago) that we should or should think about having a collection of natural pearl photos for interest and to help with identification of same. I think it is a great idea. Might have been CliClasp. Was it you CliClasp?

I think many of us could offer the odd photo of pearls that we have and believe are naturals of one kind or another. Could be stated what info we have on them and whether or not they have been certified as naturals or not.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[CLICLASP]

About the cleaning, I really did it simple, in the sink itself ,
as I said, brushed with an old one and let the brooch in salt water for 15 seconds, not more.

I really doubt the mounting be silver, it is not the color, neither the aspect, this would mean, these pearls would have been taken in very poor consideration at their time to be treated in such a poor setting.
But I should be pleased to be wrong, if you can check silver on your side, then we would know.

I paid less than 100 E, for a collector's piece, it is not expensive.

Yes I suggested by the past, but not only me, to have a gallery on PG with natural pearls which photos could be offered by members having natural pearls.
Same for story of pearls.

Thanks to Pearlescence for bringing relative infos on Tay river pearls.