Featured Sterling Art Deco blister pearl necklace?

Hi all! It's been a little while since I've posted, hoping your wonderful brains can help me out. I have been buying more from auction houses recently and getting interesting things! This necklace was listed as "Art Deco" and a blister pearl with abalone colour (!), 19.5"L. I'm curious to know if you think it is as old as the 20s/30s and is it a blister pearl? In my experience the consigners etc. aren't always accurate in their descriptions! It is a very pretty necklace. Thanks everyone

 

It looks like a shell blister rather than a blister pearl. The process is similar, the mollusc feels a grain of sand or other pollution against it's skin, and begins to produce extra nacre.
The difference is that with a shell blister you can't see something that looks like half a regular pearl against the shell, only a 'bump'. With a blister pearl you can see a distinct edge around the blister, which defines the outline of a pearl.

It looks like the pendant and the chain are a pretty marriage, they have different marks.
The clasp is unusual on a chain. It is usually seen on pearl (bead) necklaces. Maybe also a marriage?

 

This article explains the difference between blister pearls and shell blisters better than I did. If you scroll down the page you can see photos too:

https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research/natural-shell-blisters-and-blister-pearls

 

Thanks so much, your knowledge always amazes me!

 

You're welcome, Elen. Good to see you posting again.

 

I read the article and I must say my head is spinning a little trying to get my head around the info, think it is too early in the morning for me . Very interesting read! Would you say it's an older piece?

 

I know! And when you think about it, it is all the same effort by a little creature to protect itself from harm. The fuss we people make about differences!

I would, but it is difficult to say how old. And we could be talking about three different periods, for pendant, chain, and clasp.
Let's wait for the others.

 

I remember necklaces that had this type of clasp on the chain being quite ordinary in my childhood & probably for some time before that. I liked them because little hands could work them & I did not need help putting the necklace on or taking it off.

I agree that the chain & pendant did not start life together & can't use one to date the other.

 

Just looking at the pendant, not the chain, looks kind of like an artisan piece that could have been made at any time at all. I would guess vintage at best. It's an attractive piece and although chain may not have originally been sold with it, seems to work nicely.

 

Same here. The chain is straight vintage. The pendant? Not horribly. I'd be guessing 1990s and maybe a little later.

 

My goodness, I wouldn't have guessed the pendant was that modern. Thanks!