Featured Unusual Bacchus Earrings 14K Screw-backs - Coral? OK to re-set?

I think you guys might like these! They came in from a rather obscure 1940s Met Opera singer's estate, but they could be from further back in her family line. My guess is they are coral, quite nicely carved, and set on marked 14 K non-pierced screw-back fittings. They measure 2" L x 1" W. Any ideas on material, date and country of origin? Also, I would like to have my jeweler replace the screw-back part with posts so I can wear them safely. Any advice- yay or nay?
Thanks Ladies!

 

Ladies , my hoof !
I get , you'd like to wear them........but cutting them up for post fittings.....before you nail down some info and a price range...... not advised....by me !

 

First off, they are absolutely fantastic!! (Italian??) I'll bet the metal plate on the back of the one is 14K gold as well.

I can't help with maker/material, although coral is certainly a good possibility. As far as having them altered, I agree that you should get a value first just so you know what is what.

Another way if you want to wear them but not alter the original design too much, you could carefully remove the chain from the screwback section and hook the chain onto gold pierced earwires. You won't have the top piece then, but you could later restore them to their original design if needed.

 

OH @Bronwen ... were are you

 

there's a thought...

 

gold lever back or latch back would work well with these.....

 

I really haven’t drooled over anything in a long time and I’m drooling. If they were mine I’d ask my guy to keep them intact by cutting off the screw back before it u’s and finishing it flush. I’d then laser posts on the top coral and if he felt that wouldn’t hold then pop the two corals and add posts and then reset the stones. Maybe crazy but if it worked the earrings would look and hang the same.

 

wouldn't that all but kill their value.....

 

Absolutely the value will be killed as “antique earrings” but if the owner loves them, doesn’t care about value and wants them regardless it doesn’t matter. IMO they’re fabulous but we’re not talking signed Cartier e.g.

If the work is done by an accomplished jeweler (goldsmith if we’re playing semantics)
IMO they’ll be more salable and could easily bring the same price to a contemporary collector like me.

I’ll always maintain that screw backs were made by men who hate women.

Meanwhile I do agree that if the owner could be price motivated to sell, appraisal should be done prior to any alteration.

 

I’m really pretty ape over them but would never ever buy screw backs.

 

Emm... hoof?

 

Aesthetically I agree but I know that the weight on wires would pull too much for me but I’m really sensitive on earring weight.

 

Like? LOVE!!!!

Mediterranean coral, 19th century, traditional Italian. Could even be 18th century. The coral is likely to be Sciacca coral.
These are not souvenir earrings, the Italians wore them themselves, on big shepherd hooks. They were also a popular Grand Tour souvenir.

The screwbacks are replacements imo. They are yellow gold, but the gold on the back of the one Bacchus face and on the chains is a shade between yellow and rose gold.

I have never considered posts safe. The butterfly backs always got caught in my hair, scarf, or collar, and off the things came.

That is what I would do, although my personal preference is leverbacks, like komo mentioned.

 

These earrings have traditional Italian shepherd hooks:

 

I only use large silicone disc backs on my posts and have never had an issue although I have short hair. If AJ is correct (and that makes total sense to me and should have caught it myself-knocks head on wall) that the earrings have already been altered from wires then IMO DM can do whatever they want and value is unaffected. I like the idea of wires aesthetically best-I just know I couldn’t wear them and would go for posts with silicone backs for support.

 

Seeing as how I object to thanking just the Ladies.....I may be considered a Swine ....thus...the Hoof !!

 

I'm sorry, I assumed you were female, but I don't know why. My bad.

 

oooohhhh....that's worse then !!!
try clicking my avatar...........

 

I want them here - RIGHT NOW! Interesting, definitely Bacchus with the grapes & grape leaves, but at first glance you could mistake him for Medusa.



The issue I see is the presence on one & absence on the other of that gold plate, which I agree is probably solid gold. Is that earring significantly heavier than its mate? Assuming you want them matched. What does the gold stud on the exposed back of the one earring seem to be about?

 

A jeweler might be able to remove just the screw part, slot the screw tube, and solder on a hinged post that snaps into the slotted tube. Like the one below. But I'd have them put a snap-over safety on it. cheers