ID Help With Various Items

Ahakunut · Aug 9, 2015

I've been working on cleaning out my Mother In Law's house for several weeks now. I promised myself I would start with the items I could sell at a flea market like Christmas decorations and other household things. Unfortunately I keep getting distracted by all the cool things that turn up. Here are a few pictures I need help with. The Cameo's and tie pins are quite old. My MIL inherited them years ago from her great aunt. As I mentioned in my original post my MIL was 101 when she passed away so these items are old. I'm thinking the cameos came off a bracelet or some other setting, but the backs are highly polished with no marks, scratches or glue. If you hold them up to the light they appear semi translucent in either brown or green. And lastly the opal and diamond necklace. There are no marks that I can see on this so how do I tell if it's real short of taking it to an expert? She had a note with this also stating it was very old.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I've had a great time reading about everyone's finds as well as the incredible education on so many topics. Thank you!! PS. The photos are upside down for some reason, but right side up when you click on them.

2Minnesota · Aug 9, 2015

The first pic appears to be a foil backed rhinestone in the center with ? stones around it. The single stone above by itself is probably a rhinestone as well due to the prongs (look chintzy). The other stuff I'm not much help on. Do you see any marks on the backs or pin parts?

Ahakunut · Aug 10, 2015

2Minnesota said:
The first pic appears to be a foil backed rhinestone in the center with ? stones around it. The single stone above by itself is probably a rhinestone as well due to the prongs (look chintzy). The other stuff I'm not much help on. Do you see any marks on the backs or pin parts?

Thanks for the reply! The pictures didn't come out very well. I took them with my ipad which kept blocking the light. I'll try to get better pictures.
The necklace center stone is actually an opal. Whether it's real or not is another question. There are no marks on it at all which is why I questioned it. I agree with you about the chain. It does seem cheaply made. Thanks!

ARC · Aug 10, 2015

The stone APPEARS to be a white opal...
Metal must be tested as well as diamonds to tell if its for real.

Take to local pawn shop or jeweler for testing of metal and diamonds.

Beachkid23 · Aug 10, 2015

I can try to help a little bit. First I would check the jewelry with the magnet especially the necklace. I can see on the loop that connects the pendant to the chain that there is a break in the loop. Mainly when their gold normally that Loop is solid and soldered not able to be pried open. That's not always the case but that's normally something I look for when it solid.

The cameos I'm not too sure about. And the stickpins the first one looks like it's gold with the pink stone and girls. They can have a pretty high value to them. The other three look like they are gold filled. On the stick pins if their gold normally the marking is on the pin part itself either a 10 or 14 K or possibly a number. Like 585 or 417. Just because their gold filled though does not mean that they're worthless. Could still hold some good value to them as well.
This one is not the same but closest I could find that was sold.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=251959108573&globalID=EBAY-US

OldSowBreath · Aug 10, 2015

In the picture of the group of pins, I have an identical one to the one that is second from the right. I wish I knew more about it.

Ahakunut · Aug 10, 2015

ARC1 said:
The stone APPEARS to be a white opal...
Metal must be tested as well as diamonds to tell if its for real.

Take to local pawn shop or jeweler for testing of metal and diamonds.

Thanks for the info! I'm generating quite a pile of items to be checked out!

Ahakunut · Aug 10, 2015

Beachkid23 said:
I can try to help a little bit. First I would check the jewelry with the magnet especially the necklace. I can see on the loop that connects the pendant to the chain that there is a break in the loop. Mainly when their gold normally that Loop is solid and soldered not able to be pried open. That's not always the case but that's normally something I look for when it solid.

The cameos I'm not too sure about. And the stickpins the first one looks like it's gold with the pink stone and girls. They can have a pretty high value to them. The other three look like they are gold filled. On the stick pins if their gold normally the marking is on the pin part itself either a 10 or 14 K or possibly a number. Like 585 or 417. Just because their gold filled though does not mean that they're worthless. Could still hold some good value to them as well.
This one is not the same but closest I could find that was sold.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=251959108573&globalID=EBAY-US

I really appreciate the help here! The chain on that necklace is probably trash, but I'm not sure about the stones. The reason being, my MIL had a tendency to play around with these things. I found a century old Lucien Piccard watch with a cabochon sapphire pinned to a cabbage patch doll! She did a lot of switching with jewelry. If she liked a chain on one necklace she would switch it. Of course it's hers to do what she wants, but it makes things a little tough for me! Anyway, thanks for taking the time to look up the pins! I'm really chomping at the bit to find out about those cameos. These are quite old, probably 100 yrs at least. I found some similar on Christies auction site that were up for 5 figures. Wouldn't that be nice!

Ahakunut · Aug 10, 2015

OldSowBreath said:
In the picture of the group of pins, I have an identical one to the one that is second from the right. I wish I knew more about it.

Sorry, second from the right of the upside down picture? Or are you talking about the sword pin?

OldSowBreath · Aug 12, 2015

The upside down pins (points pointing upward), second from right and between the sword pin and ruby pin. 100% idenitical. I can find no markings on mine and guess it is Victorian jewelry.

BagLady · Aug 12, 2015

I wonder if the cameo's are ivory?

Ahakunut · Aug 13, 2015

OldSowBreath said:
The upside down pins (points pointing upward), second from right and between the sword pin and ruby pin. 100% idenitical. I can find no markings on mine and guess it is Victorian jewelry.

I haven't been able to find anything either. No markings.