Pearls from Scottish river Tay

[pearlescence]

btw I don't clean pearls in salt.

 

[CLICLASP]

what do you recommend as cleaning process ?

 

[Bodecia]

Sorry Wendy (pearlescence),

Must have been someone else that also uses that method. Thought it was you. I know Caitlin does and I have many times, very gently. What method do you use for cleaning really filthy old pearls.

I realise you most deal with new pearls so there would be no need for such a method.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[Caitlin]

I used the salt slurry to clean my Bahraini pearls. I am not sure about using it for bead nuked pearls-it may over-dry the skins, unless done quickly. I have also used mild detergent like shampoo when the dirt is not visible on freshwaters. Liquid castille soap also works. I have no experience in cleaning nuked pearls, but I'd say don't try this on thin-skinned akoyas. Like the mineral oil, a salt slurry is for a one-time deal.

Douglas also says a dunking in Mineral oil cleans of protein build ups, off pearls but not to use that as a cure-all or very often, so I'd say once on new-found, dehydrated pearls.

Pictures are of dirty radiatas and then clean ones after the salt slurry

 

[pearlescence]

I use either a very oily soap, just lather up my hands then rub the pearls gently or I might also use soapwort if it available

 

[CLICLASP]

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.
/QUOTE]

So as you said, on the same photo :
the Tay blister pearls (at least 50 years old), a FW China strand and one 12 mm South Seas pearl of same color.
Everyrone can judge by her/himself

 

[Bodecia]

Hi,

Cleaned my brooch/pearls and they look better. Photos not great but I am sure we have the same type of pearls. When I said I would test I forgot that my tester only does gold from 6kt to 24kt and also Platinum. Not silver. Would need a different test. What I am thinking is that our brooches might be 835 silver or another grade of silver but not as high as sterling. Sterling tarnishes very easily but European silver does not and it looks a little different and doesn't polish as shiny. Just might be what we have. Unmarked European silver, just not sterling.

Anyway it is the pearls we care about.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[Bodecia]

I have actually given my pearl brooch another good rinse and soft brush with toothbrush after posting these photos as I spotted what could have been a little salt left between pearl and silver. Just shows how much we need to be careful when rinsing. Gone now though.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

 

[Bodecia]

Hi All,

Do you think these are actually Pearls from the River Tay?

Also what kind of value do these pearls have?

Anyone have any ideas ???

Dawn
eBay seller ID dawncee333

 

[CLICLASP]

A interesting find for collectors
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...62&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:FR:1123#ht_500wt_1353

 

[CLICLASP]

Another interesting find about Tay river pearls
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=281008057995#ht_2868wt_1198

 

[pattye]

thank you, Anna. Very interesting article and photo.

 

[aerinha]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I was curious if the brooches were ever determined to be Scottish pearls? Curious because I came across a similar piece.

 

[GemGeek]

Never be sorry to revive an old post! There is so much interesting information in our older posts.
To prove you have Scottish river pearls is a very difficult task without provenance, but owning and enjoying them is the thing -- and if you are a collector like Cliclasp, you would want to acquire them.

 

[aerinha]

In looking for an old Mississippi pearl flower piece, I found this from a UK seller. They thought it might contain Scottish pearls and they seem to match pearls earlier in this thread. Either way it was pretty and $33!

 

[pattye]

Lovely find! Very artistic, someone spent hours creating this piece!

 

[MSC]

In looking for an old Mississippi pearl flower piece, I found this from a UK seller. They thought it might contain Scottish pearls and they seem to match pearls earlier in this thread. Either way it was pretty and $33!
View attachment 64304
View attachment 64305

Those are actually polished turbo shells - they are often used in silver pieces (Strack, pg. 279)