help me id this necklace's maker's mark please?

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by Harry Shoe, Sep 29, 2017.

  1. Harry Shoe

    Harry Shoe New Member

    [​IMG] I've inherited this necklace. Family's original owner died in 1940 (born 1909). But it was a cherished object by her, so we believe it was inherited.

    Location: Germany

    There was a wedding 1907 of her mother that this could've been a present for. Or older..
    Based on clasp, it'd have to be at least newer than 1890. But I can't prove anything.

    It's marked 333 (8k gold in germany). It has a Maker's Mark.
    The maker's mark may be a Star of David with the number 2 in the middle - the stamp is only partially present. Otherwise its more of a stylized xV2... but it really looks like part of a star. Note, my family has no jewish ancestry. I'd guess the maker was Jewish, and it was purchased before Jews were persecuted. So do any of you have a collection of jewish maker's marks?

    The photos can be seen in full resolution at https://imgur.com/a/ZKgZl including the maker's mark.

    I checked but our nearby library system doesn't have books on maker's marks.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 29, 2017
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  2. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Welcome to the forum, Harry.
    A friend of yours already asked us about this necklace, you will find our answers here:
    https://www.antiquers.com/threads/identifying-gold-necklace.20756/

    It is extremely difficult to find lesser known maker's marks, and since there were thousands of jewellery makers in Germany during the time this could have been made, I have little hope you will ever find the one who made this necklace.
    It is best to forget about a possible Jewish connection. As I wrote in the other thread, there were many German Jewish goldsmiths, but the Star of David is not used exclusively by Jewish people. It is a symbol that is used all over the world, by just about every culture, religion and spiritual group. It is most prominent in Islamic countries, and Germany has had ties with those for a long time.
    Symbolism as a movement was very strong in late 19th - early 20th century Germany as well.
     
  3. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    I knew I had seen that necklace recently, but couldn't find it! Good job, AJ.
     
  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Thanks Bakers, déjà vu feeling here as well, searched several pages of the jewelry forum, and found it.:)
     
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  5. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    Guess, I just had not gotten far enough.
     
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  6. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    A friend you say....Hummm.....
     
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  7. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Well, the first one said she was asking for a friend, so I assume this is the friend. That would mean the first one is the friend of this one, I think.....:confused::confused::confused::dead:
     
  8. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    You'd think the friend would have relayed the information given.........
    wouldn't you ?
     
  9. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    That thought did cross my mind. So who is dodgy here?;)
     
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  10. Harry Shoe

    Harry Shoe New Member

    friend = a person that saw my post on reddit... I think. I've been gathering info on this necklace a few places, keep finding out more!
     
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  11. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Do tell.
     
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  12. Harry Shoe

    Harry Shoe New Member

    That makes it sound so exciting. It is not. I just started off with minimal knowledge (I know nothing about jewelry), and the info above is what I found out so far...
     
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  13. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I think the main thing is that it is a lovely, elegant necklace, as I said in the other thread. It is 8k and this delicate style was popular at the time of the wedding. Sorry, this is all just a repeat of the other thread, but that is all I can say.
     
  14. Harry Shoe

    Harry Shoe New Member

    I appreciate that - I'll go with a wedding present and write up a note for it, for family history!
     
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  15. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    @Harry Shoe , could the 2 in the David Star mark be a Z? In that case I've found your maker.
    If it is a Z, it is the mark of Heinrich Zwerneman/Zwernemann from Hanau, Germany. The company was founded in 1887.
    Heinrich Zwernemann was the only German goldsmith with an exhibit in the 1904 St Louis World's Fair (Louisiana Purchase Exposition).

    Hanau is a town in Germany, which became famous after the influx of Calvinist Protestant gold- and silversmiths from the Low Countries who fled from the Spanish occupation of that part of the world in the 16th century. The Low Countries are mostly present day Belgium and The Netherlands.
    The Hanau precious metals industry was important until ca 1918, when most of the aristocratic patrons lost their power and riches.
    These are from http://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_marks_a1884_10.html :

    upload_2017-10-1_11-8-25.jpeg
    upload_2017-10-1_11-8-41.jpeg

    This is from a German website:
    [​IMG]

    I found a Josef Zwernemann as a recipient of the German 'Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross' in 1942, so I assume it is not a Jewish family. There was also a Protestant minister called Zwernemann.
    Since the name sometimes appears without the second 'n', it could have originated in the Low Countries.
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2017
  16. Lucille.b

    Lucille.b Well-Known Member

    That's amazing Any Jewelry. Looking at the old post (close up of mark isn't great) what you can see could be a "Z" to my eye.

    Well done!
     
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  17. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Thanks, Lucille. I was actually looking for something else and I saw this mark. Tiny lightbulb went on, and here is the result.
     
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  18. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    sidebar-----
    funny how that happens..
    I was looking for something...& found an identical silver dish to one I own...but never photographed...:wacky:;)
     
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  19. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    Close-up of the necklace marks from the link......just not sure I see a "Z", but what do I know!!!!

    zNecklaceMarks.jpg
     
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  20. Lucille.b

    Lucille.b Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the close up, Aquitaine. It's the mark inside the star on the bottom. I wish the OP provided a clearer shot. Looks like it could be a "Z" but hard to say. Doesn't totally fill the star, like the photo from the maker above, but who knows.
     
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