Unusual Mikimoto bracelet or fake?

[aas996]

My first post on this forum.

Just got this bracelet and earrings on eBay.
The tattered red square box (seen in the photo) says "Mikimoto Pearls" inside,
the clasp has the usual "M" inside a clamshell mark (not seen on the photo) and "14 K" gold.
However, the style seems quite unusual for Miki - never saw that either in stores or online.
The pearls themselves not pinky like other Mikis (I have a usual 7-mm Miki necklace to compare), and beaten up.

Can this be Mikimoto, and if so, how old?
I paid just above the scrap value of gold (about 15 g at 14 K), so no loss here anyway, but quite curious.

Many thanks for your expert opinion!

Alex

 

[pattye]

Welcome Alex, An interesting set indeed. Please take some additional photos close up using macro feature if possible against a white paper towel or something similar. Can't tell much about the pearls from here. What size do you estimate the pearls to be? Seems odd the pearls would be "beat up" as they are in cages. Also a good shot of the logo inside the lid and the outside of the box, too, please, as that may help date the piece.

 

[GemGeek]

Pattye made me think - are the caged pearls loose inside the cages? If they are, their movement against the metal might account for the beat-up look. I would expect that the cages would need to be snug against the pearls to protect them.

 

[aas996]

Additional photos

Additional photos

Please take some additional photos close up using macro feature if possible against a white paper towel or something similar. Can't tell much about the pearls from here. What size do you estimate the pearls to be? Seems odd the pearls would be "beat up" as they are in cages. Also a good shot of the logo inside the lid and the outside of the box, too, please, as that may help date the piece.

Here are some additional photos, incl. the logo inside the lid and the clasp in detail. The clasp is not the typical Miki style with a single pearl, but features a small "M" inside a clamshell as I said (not seen in the photos). The pearls are probably about 6 mm.

 

[aas996]

Pattye made me think - are the caged pearls loose inside the cages? If they are, their movement against the metal might account for the beat-up look. I would expect that the cages would need to be snug against the pearls to protect them.

Yes, all are loose inside the cages. Very possibly, they could be beaten up because of that.

 

[pattye]

Blaire, I agree, the pearls have knocked about inside the cages and gotten scratched and damaged. The size and roundness of the pearls would indicate akoya, though they appear to not have been pinked, which is interesting. Hard to say what era, have never seen a box like this before. Maybe 30's or 40's? I do think the french wires are a modern style, a newer addition, may not be 14k ~is there a mark on them? Many earrings back then were clip.

 

[aas996]

The size and roundness of the pearls would indicate akoya, though they appear to not have been pinked, which is interesting. Hard to say what era, have never seen a box like this before. Maybe 30's or 40's? I do think the french wires are a modern style, a newer addition, may not be 14k ~is there a mark on them? Many earrings back then were clip.

No mark of any kind on the earrings.
I doubt a product from pre-WWII era would say "Mikimoto Pearls" in English.
English was not common in Japan until 1950-s.

 

[aas996]

A few more photos

A few more photos

Here are a few more photos, including the box from outside.