Featured Coral necklaces

I snapped up a nice little lot of costume jewellery on eBay. These coral necklaces were in it.
The colour you see is very representative of how they are. Is this deep orange colour representative of an origin? They don’t appear to be dyed.
Am I right I’m thinking probably antique or just vintage?
1)The bigger beads- I'm not sure if that clasp is the original but it works well so if it is contemporary I will restring with that clasp. They are a good length - c60cm end to end and each bead is 4-5mm. These are keepers .
2) The smaller beads are carved into dumbbell shapes.c50cm.
I know branch coral is no where near as desirable but are these of value? ( I’m not asking how much, I just can’t find comparable to give me an idea)
I’ll possibly restring and sell these.
I usually knot between each bead but that wouldn’t work aesthetically with these so would you put the odd little Pearl to knot either side or just leave as one long string?
Sorry that turned into a bit of an epic!
Thanks for looking

 

Beautiful, K.

These are Mediterranean. You can find this colour in different parts of the Med, but most coral that was traded to northern and central Europe was Sardinian or other Italian, and Adriatic, from coastal Slovenia and Croatia.

Yes they are. When the beads are carved, in any shape, they are more valuable than branch coral.

 

You're asking about the dumbbells, right? No, knots in between dumbbells doesn't work, aesthetically.
The thread usually breaks near the clasp. What you sometimes see, is a few round beads with knots in between at both ends, next to the clasp. That prevents the entire thing from falling apart of the string breaks near the clasp.

 

Thankyou for the information
Does that rectangular clasp look right for the bigger beads?

Yes, I was talking about the dumbbells. That makes sense, I have some spare red round beads that I can put at either end.
Any recommendations for washing them without stripping them? Is dish soap too strong?

 

Yes, it does. I have seen several coral necklaces with similar clasps.

I usually use mild handsoap or mild shampoo.

 

Brilliant. Thankyou as always

 

Drop of Fairy liquid or Stergene also works.

 

I was going to say... yep, looks legit, and probably old too.

We crazy Yanks call those dogbone beads, btw.

 

Useful to know, thanks @evelyb30

 

You will be terribly excited to learn that the Dutch word for dumbbell bead is 'kapittelstokjeskraal', kapittelstokje for short.
I know you will all be using it from now on.

 

I just love Dutch as a laguage. It has giggle words.

 

After bathing them, be prepared to slightly oil them once dry with a drop of oil on a soft paintbrush to restore the shine

 

Which is probably why we always rank high in the Happy Nations Index, or whatever it's called.
Sometimes we giggle our way to first place, other times the Danes beat us to it.

 

Slides off the tongue beautifully!

Any particular type of oil?

 

I use olive.

 

Olive oil is good. I use rice bran oil, it is thinner.

 

Hi,
I often see olive oil as a choice. In the USA we never use olive oil as it becomes rancid and sticky. We use mineral oil which is sold in pharmacies. I do not understand why it does not go rancid in Europe????????
greg

 

Is baby oil any good?

 

I don't know why. I have Spanish and Australian olive oil and neither go rancid.
But for many pieces I prefer rice bran oil, which doesn't go rancid either.

 

It works too, maybe better to use a non perfumed oil!
On cabs, I use my nose... rub on it, it gives the right amount of grease