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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 Silver Jewelry
 Help Identify this Silver Medallion???
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| Author | Topic: Help Identify this Silver Medallion??? |
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Austinstar Posts: 8 |
posted 03-15-2005 01:39 PM
  
Please help me figure out what this old piece of jewelry is? It is 3.5 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, and the center well is 1/4 inch deep. It looks like it is meant to hang on a chain. It also looks like there is something that belongs in the center well, but I have no idea what that would be. The outside stones look like coral? The inside stones look like emeralds? and garnets? For some reason, I think the silver looks like it came from Mexico. (We live in Texas) I found this among my mom's estate jewelry (3 years ago). I've been selling some and restoring some to keep. This piece looks like pirate treasure to me! I've been looking for whatever went in the middle, but haven't found anything that matches. I just really don't know anything about this piece and I would love to know what it is! ------------------ IP: Logged |
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t-man-nc Posts: 327 |
posted 03-16-2005 07:31 AM
I agree with you . I think it looks like an early mexican tourist item. I say early as you did not mention "Made in Mexico" or other verbage including "925". Without a mark or closer examination it would be near impossible to date it. "Smaug" IP: Logged |
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Patrick Vyvyan Posts: 640 |
posted 03-16-2005 09:12 AM
Especially with the design on the reverse, I would also consider north India, Afganistan etc. Pieces are often not marked. IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 03-16-2005 10:05 AM
It could be Mexican, but I'm with Patrick on this one - to my eye the design on the back as well as the curlicue-heart shaped outlines around the edge on the front gives me the idea that it is more likely something from the central asia area (India, Nepal, Tibet - maybe Pakistan or Afghanistan). No markings on central asia material is not uncommon as much of it was and still is made in local workshops and homes in villages rather than by professional manufacturing companies. The age of these is almost impossible to tell as brand new things are still made in the same way they were made long ago and look the same. When you go to a local weekend market in these countries you see piles of this kind of jewelry and you just can't tell what is new and what is 100 years old. It is unclear whether the metal is silver, low content silver or another alloy. As for the cabochon stones (dome shaped as opposed to faceted), I would not get your hopes up that they are other than glass or inexpensive things like garnets, feldspars, corals, etc. However, you may want to take it to a professional jeweler who is a fully trained gemologist (ask first) who could take a close look and tell you for sure what the stones might be as well as what the metal might be. The central gap would have had a large piece of glass or maybe a semi-precious stone which can be replaced. Or if you are lucky, you might even find it rattling around in the bottom of your Mom's jewelry box or the back of her unmentionables drawer. If not, and you would like to restore this to wear, you would likely want to find a craftsperson who specializes in folk art style jewelry using cabochon cut glass and stones rather than a regular jeweler. IP: Logged |
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Austinstar Posts: 8 |
posted 03-16-2005 11:46 AM
Thanks Kimo! I appreciate all of your great info! I wonder about the Indian connection. My mom had a mysterious 'boyfriend' during her last two years that none of the family ever met. She said he was Indian. We thought he might be some sort of delusion as she had developed some dementia. Perhaps he was real and he gave this to her. She lived in an assisted living apartments and I suspect that a lot of people gave her jewelry to repair as so much of this stuff I've found is broken. She was like a magpie - collecting things because they were shiny! If only she had left notes! IP: Logged |
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