Featured Antique Fair Jewellery Haul

Just when you think you aren’t going to find anything nice and affordable…..


Bone or Ivory and looks a bit of a monster in the photo but it is very nicely carved so for a fiver it came home.

Lovely lilac glass beads (actually off eBay) for £2

Iris glass beads also £2

Czech Camphor glass brooch £1 and old buttons for 50p

Locket of some sort £3

More buttons. Yellow ones are fun as they glow bright orange.

The purchase of these rings was a bit of a mystery. The lady dealer had a tableful of silver and a shelf of items marked 1/2 price to clear (I’m in there straight away) The light is shocking and I pick up these three rings that she wanted £3 each for including the Deco box. I pointed out that the green one was marked £18 and she thanked me for pointing it out and said that one could be £8 and that they were clearing out stuff and were only going to concentrate on silver. I assumed these were costume with the green one possibly being silver but they looked nice quality costume. When I get them home one has a full uk hallmark for 9K (shopping channel and missing a stone but gold is gold and a 9ct ring sizer on it)and the Amethyst one says 750 and something I can’t read. It tests for 18k so don’t think it’s plated but it has an unusual band. It looks a bit 70s but I’m not sure how to describe it.
Green one is silver.
Feel a bit guilty as they were £14 for all.
A good days treasure hunting

 

Well done you, it looks like gold too, I think it's going to be right.

 

You find the most amazing pieces. I really like the camphor brooch but my definite favorite is the iris beads. What beautiful colors they have! All treasures to be sure.

 

Thankyou
I do look at plenty of frogs before I find the princes though . The rings were handed to me on a plate today but usually I have to go searching in places others fear to tread such as boxes at car boot sales where the treasure snuggle up with broken glass and rat poo The Iris beads were surprisingly lovely as I bought both of those necklaces from shocking photos on eBay. Very pleased when I opened the parcel. I do bomb out sometimes but I rarely spend much and regard it as paying for a learning experience when I get it wrong.

 

Thankyou

 

That 750 amethyst looks typically Italian 70s. Nice haul.

Yeah, I do those scuzzy boxes. They yield.

 

Thankyou

 

Oh yes, if you go down lower than anyone else dares!

 

Looks like ivory from here. May be easier to tell once it's cleaned up. Green ring stone looks like peridot.

 

great score on all KSW could those Lilac glass beads be Alexanderite glass?

 

What a totally awesome haul! My favorite by far is the ivory/bone brooch. I love jewelry like that. But a close second are the iris beads. I would be wearing them every day. You really have a great eye for these treasures! Congrats.

 

I adore the amethyst ring!!

 

I’d not heard of it until you asked so I will have to take them outside to see. I suspect they are just pretty but boring glass but I’ve learned something new.

What’s the best way to clean it please?

Thankyou. A couple of years ago I was completely clueless, this forum has taught me so much but so much still to learn!

 

I have cleaned ivory cameos the same way I do shell cameos: soak in tepid water with a bit of dishwashing liquid; use a very soft toothbrush to get into crevices. Don't soak too long, I would say about 15 mins, before applying the toothbrush. Ivory can get sort of waterlogged if left in water too long. If some of the grunge is stubborn & first round results are unsatisfactory, I would let the piece dry out before doing another round. Doesn't appear to have anything like an ink mark on it, so should clean up well.

 

Fantastic haul, K. I am amazed at how much you've learned in such a short time, you have a great eye and a good memory.

I am also amazed at how cheaply you can find things in the UK.
Unfortunately sellers here tend to be more savvy. A lot of overpricing too. I stopped going to flea markets decades ago, even though I could still walk distances in those days, just not worth it. I do find bargains on the marktplaats site, but nothing like the ones you Brits find.

Now there is a monster I do like. Looks like it could be Dieppe ivory.

If the very short soak doesn't work, you can try oil. I got a thick layer of ugly brown paint off a 17th century ivory keris hilt by wrapping it in paper kitchen towel and keeping the paper saturated with rice bran oil until the paint came off.
With the way ivory legislation is headed, I probably should have kept the paint on.

Medallion?

 

The ivory brooch will look wonderful when it is cleaned. I don't soak pieces for very long, only a couple minutes, in tepid water. a very soft toothbrush is essential, as Bronwen says. I wish I could find pieces like that in the US, but alas, only in antique stores where the prices are outrageous.

One thing on my bucket list is to spend a month in the UK just enjoying rummaging in charity shops, yard sales, boot sales, etc., taking in the scenery and going to museums. My idea of heaven. I hope to do that next year.

 

You've heard of neodymium glass, alexandrite is another term for it.

 

Send those iris glass beads to me!!!