Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

eBay's authenticators are Dumb with a capital DUMB. They might reject something that doesn't match, even if it's worth more money. If a bracelet were sold as 14k over sterling and it's solid 14k, it might get bounced . I wouldn't put anything past them, and the dumber it is the more likely it is to happen.

 

Are there criteria for when a seller is required to use this "service"? Can a buyer decline it?

 

The only criteria is the sale price. The last time I checked, any jewelry over $500 got sent. I'm betting lots of things that would normally sell for $525 are now going for $499.99 instead. That included costume at last report, which they are NOT equipped to handle in the slightest. Cameos in precious settings would go too. A buyer cannot decline.

 

that's just weird !

 

That would be eBay; if you think they can't find a way to screw something up, you're not giving them enough credit. They'll find one.

 

Last month my Christmas gift to myself was a 14K hardstone cameo brooch & earrings set, probably Edwardian. I forget exactly how the text of the listing was worded, but something about items having been tested by 'our experts.'

When my offer was accepted, I wrote seller to confirm what absence of any mention seemed to indicate, that set did not need to go first to authenticator. I could see the pieces were good quality & of course knew I was better equipped to evaluate the cameos, so didn't feel the need of a third party to reassure me; I was more concerned about jewellery getting lost in the mail. She replied that authentication was not needed & shipped them directly to me.

I'm sure the price would have met any criterion for that. However, I did notice other of her listings that did have the language about authentication. I did not want to press her on the matter, she came across as rather frazzled as it was, but I did wonder. The whole thing sounds like a massive boondoggle to me. How are these authenticators paid? Is that another slice out of the seller's revenue?

 

No surprise that they're a bit cagey on the subject, speaking in terms of items that are "eligible" for authentication, even though it appears it is mandatory for jewellery that sells for $500 or more, as evelyb said:

https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-jewelry-seller/

Reading some of the details, looks to me like you still have to do whatever it takes to make representations in a listing about fineness of metal, quality of gems, etc. They only check if assertions seller makes are true. And there are all sorts of things they will not evaluate:

https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-jewelry/disclaimer/

I noticed they don't evaluate ivory, but there's nothing one way or the other about whether they confiscate it. Lava gets no mention at all.

If my lovely set had passed through authentication, I would have received it with their name all over.

 

That's what I remembered. The authenticators are allegedly GIA-trained, but any of us joolies could probably do better with our eyeballs and a loupe. There's no substitute for experience.

 

If I'm not reading in something that isn't said explicitly, looks like the claim is that item goes to an actual GIA facility. Would not be the least surprised if people just work from home. They don't do anything that would require "advanced testing", which amazingly includes identifying dyed cryptocrystalline quartz, i.e., chalcedony/agate. They won't count little diamonds if there are too many of them. All of this is naturally to protect sellers & let buyers shop with confidence.

I get the impression some sellers are setting shipping prices as if they have to cover both legs of the trip, while supposedly they only have to get item to GIA.

 

This was bought today and I was just wondering if anyone can tell me anything about it. Especially what it's made out of.

 

Black mother of pearl, engraved. Not sure whether this is naturally occurring nacre or not. It can be dyed. Despite the name, the black lipped oyster would not produce this.

Figure draws elements from both Athena & Mars, not sure who is intended, but Athena more likely. A very wearable piece, should one be so inclined.

 

THANK YOU!

I was going to say mother of pearl. But, I'm wrong on so much, I left it out.

My wife bought it because she felt it had an Erte Art Deco feel to the engraving.

It is wearable. But, she really does just display them.

 

It's not old, but wear it if you like it.

The shipping is probably their "insurance" money or making sure they don't lose money on it if they have to ship any distance to a valuer. They don't trust eBay, and for good reason, and the difference goes into an insurance pot against loss or breakage caused by the valuers themselves. The buyers are covered , but sellers have gotten the shaft one time too many.

 

Looking at it again, in addition to Athena & Mars, the lowered eyes & head have a touch of the Virgin too. I can see the Erte feel.

 

OK, eBay item # 176510251872

Antique Renaissance Period 14k Gold Carved Lava Cameo Brooch Pendant
US $2,950.00

This does not have any mention of authentication or the blue ribbon thingy. Maybe if seller is a jeweller they're exempt? May the little gods of glyptics help us, this is what they have to say about it:
The Cameo stone appears to be Lava agate (NOT glue together). The front of stone more Lava like. The back of stone more semi transparent, and agate like. It is likely Renaissance or pre-Renaissance period. The frame is not original and Victorian period.

Balderdash of the highest order.

 

I'd say it reads like AI, but even an AI wouldn't have mashed up that mess. They neglect to mention that it's a 19th century setting and I'd bet the rent on it being a mashup.

 

I'm still curious how they escape the authentication requirement.

They do say the mount is "Victorian period", so I would count that as saying 19th century. My own take, with only photos to go by & without being able to handle the piece, is that it is a hardstone cameo on which the figure has not been polished to the same degree as the background, also maybe dyed, as the beige color on the dark sard is unusual.

It does not look at all Renaissance to me & most certainly not "pre-Renaissance", i.e., Medieval. I think the cameo & mount are contemporaneous.

The text strikes me as having been written by someone whose first language is not English.

 

I don't think they do, at that price tag. They'd need to put it in the wrong category, with the scarves or something. I'm not sure the listing software will still let you do that. As for the language, it reads like someone unfamiliar with their own language who ran it through "ChatGPT" to "clean it up".

 

Seems not to be what they did:

Category

• Jewelry & Watches
• Vintage & Antique Jewelry
• Necklaces & Pendants

I do see that theirs is a "sponsored" listing, if that gets them anything in addition to promotion.

 

I'm not sure. What it doesn't get is a sale. I'd bet real cameo buyers who pay that kind of money would know that a Renaissance jewel that ain't.