Featured Black spot paste?

Cor those are so so lovely

I think it had a tube hinge at one time.

Maybe I'll just never know what it is x x

 

That's what I meant by a T hinge, so completely agree.

 

Since the appearance of dragon's breath glass varies so much with the angle of the light & the angle of viewing + suspect that if your camera is on automatic it may be introducing its own alterations, your stone seems to me completely in keeping with other specimens of this material, just not foiled.

 

the tube hinge & C catch would put it around 1870.....
maybe even a little earlier.....

 

It's a faux opal.
These were made roundabout the 40s - 60s.
Glass with a foil backing as tie.dye said.

 

Don't think this is as late as that

 

What you have here is really pretty and old!
A Georgian opaline and black DOT paste piece, which was part of a jewel and was later converted into a brooch (the mount seems victorian).

The opaline center has a foil beneath and it shows signs of damp.
These are two clasps of the era:

See earrings mounted in gold with same opaline in pristine condition :
https://www.rubylane.com/item/61838-286086x202580/SO-Georgian-Opaline-White-Paste-15k

A little about black dot pastes:
http://jewelrynerd.org/blog/what-is-black-dot-paste-jewelry

About Georgian paste jewelry:
http://lisakramervintage.com/georgian-paste-jewelry/

 

Some damp went under the setting and damaged the foil...

 

Nice links.
Thanks.
I stand corrected.

 

It could have begin its life as a button (they were big in Georgian era!) I think the ring on back has been carefully removed and then polished

 

That is pretty! I'd have made a brooch out of that too, if all I had was one button.
The old pastes were really pretty. The stone may have silver in back of it, like diamonds did back then, and it's all tarnished instead of just wet. Or am I dreaming? Jewelers have done some goofy things over the years.

 

Great info, Kyra.
I am so glad we now have you and @Bronwen on the forum, you two are just the people we needed to fill in the jewellery blanks. And otherwise very welcome too, of course.
(Rolling out red carpet....)

 

Oh my goodness, that is it!

Cannot thank you all enough.
(Oh and does look exactly like water damage ,the veins )

Thank you,everyone <3 <3<3 xxx

 

Thank you so much. Really appreciate you and everyone taking the time to Id my stuff and just generally, be lovely xxxxx

 

Loved learning about 'black dot' paste & how it relates to the way diamonds are cut. I had the impression this had been made over, that the hinge & clasp were not original to it. Really great discussion & kyra, as usual, was able to provide missing info.

 

She is a gem.

 

I am in awe of the knowledge here! And the willingness to share x x x

 

you all made me blush, you are adorable!
It is a pleasure for me to see antique jewelry and help when I can

You are all gems, joolies

 

It's quite big,around 3 cms by 3 cms ... would it still be a button? xx

 

Absolutely! All these portraits are between 1780-1791