When to scrap, when to keep?

[saqsay1]

Hi all. I have a question that maybe some of you can help me with. I recently inherited a solid gold necklace and earring set from my mother's aunt. It is a heavy cleopatra style. we know it is real, even though it isn't marked. we think it's 14k, but could be 18k ( we know it's real because my mother replaced the clasp years ago, but doesn't remember what the jeweler said it was). my question is, should i take it to a jeweler to consign? or should i sell it for scrap due to the heaviness of the piece and the high price of gold? it is only 15" long so it won't fit me and my mom doesn't wear it due to the weight (shes 80). i'll work on posting a picture if anyones curious.
P.s. we don't know who made it or how old it is. due to my great aunt's age (she died at 103 about 15 years ago) i would guess it is art deco era.

[oldmancoyote]

Please post a picture. It may be of such a design that it's "only" worth its weight in gold, but it may well be worth preserving as a piece.

If you like it, it may be possible to lengthen it - even relatively inexpensively.

[Trinkette]

Oh, yes, a photo would be most appreciated!

[saqsay1]

lets see if this works

[saqsay1]

yea! i just learned how to minimize pictures!!!

anyway, this is my great aunts cleopatra necklace and matching earrings. it use to have a bracelet, but mom lost it along time ago. for those of you that are curious, i also weighed it on a postal scale of mine and it weighs approx 2.5 ozs.
 any suggestions what i should do with this?

[SaoriViola]

that's retro fab!  i would wear it with a slinky black dress. 

[oldmancoyote]

It's definitely worth keeping as a piece/suite - please don't scrap it! It's a very good example of late 1930s / early 1940s design, and quite popular at the moment.

If you want to sell it, find a jeweller that specialises in period pieces (I can give you a few names if you want) and possibly use consignment rather than an outright sale, since you are not in a hurry (I think)

If you want to lengthen it to wear it yourself, it should be possible to add a silk rope in matching gold colour or black. Finding a piece of matching queue de rat with which to extend the sides might also be possible; it rather depends on whether it's a standard diameter and work or it's been custom-made.

[saqsay1]

why OMC, it almost sounds like you like this piece?
  the problem wouldn't be lengthening the chain , but the center piece does not bend. it must be on a wire. when i was a teen, it fit. but now that i am older i can't even close the clasp. i think i would have to add more teeth, so to speak.
any idea how old it may be?

also keep in mind that originally the earrings were clips but were converted to pierced by my mother.

[saqsay1]

oops missed the 1930'3/40's part

[oldmancoyote]

 

If the issue is the curvature of the central motif being too narrow, it is certainly possible to straighten it out and make it fit again. Gold is almost infinitely ductile, and any good bench worker should be able to remodel it as is. At the very very very worst, since it has a centre, one could add two more spheres (one per side) to the centre pyramid.

And yes, I do like it. I think it's extremely wearable today, but very typical of its period.

[greeneyedbass]

To lengthen the necklace, would it be possible to add additional spheres to the center piece, at the point where the center piece is attached to the chain?   

[saqsay1]

i don't think adding 2 more spheres would help much. i guess i could take the earrings and have them added? but then, so much for the suite.........

[oldmancoyote]

I think you can do two things:

1. Ask a goldsmith to "open up" the piece by heating it and remodelling it so that the curve fits your neck

2. Get a casting made to replicate the sphere/pyramid motif, and add to lengthen. Believe it or not, the toughest thing there is going to be matching the colour of the alloy; getting the right shape is going to be quite straightforward.

[Trinkette]

In that case, would it be easiest (matching metal) to use the earring spheres to widen the necklace and then make a new pair of earrings? Or, would that really kill the "suite" altogether. I can see where it might be best to "adjust" the necklace with new pieces and keep the earrings in original condition. Hummm...

[Trinkette]

Although, in my mind, if the necklace were lengthened and made to hang significantly lower, it might be unnecessary to widen the piece at all (although the character of the piece would be somewhat different).

[Trinkette]

My vote is to hold it up to yourself and figure out where, exactly, it needs to be positioned on you body to fit and look most flattering. Then, if necessary, follow OMC's suggestion and have a goldsmith "open up" the piece in the center to fit, THEN lengthen by adding to the rat tail chain. Perhaps you could add a gold bead on each end of the current chain and then add more chain on each side after that until you reach the clasp? Also, I think a black silk cord would look quite lovely.

[Mikla]

I think it's a beautiful set and definitely worth keeping in the family.  My advice (for whatever it's worth) would be to modify it as little as possible; in other words, don't add anything that wasn't there originally but open up the necklace and perhaps lengthen the chain as has been suggested.  I hope you decide to keep it and will post pictures of it on you at some point!

Mikla

[saqsay1]

you guys have convinced me to keep it, and looking at it from everyone elses eyes have given me a new appreciation.
before i do anything, i will see if i am lucky enough to get tickets to the antique roadshow (july in miami). i applied for the tickets a month ago. maybe they can find some makers mark.
  2 years ago i went to the one in orlando, and they ooo'd and ahhh'd  over my DBL pink halo engagement ring. FYI- i didn't go to have my DBL ring appraised but the ladies at the table were they tell you what line to get in, loved my ring and gave me a 3rd ticket to get the ring appraised. normally they only give you 2 tickets 1 for each item you bring.

[joia]

I am glad you have decided to keep it, I like it very much.   I can´t see from the photo, but is the chain part what they called serpentine?  These are very desirable pieces and I would not mind sacrificing the earrings if it would help the benchman get it to your liking.
I actually think it is a crime    to sell old pieces for their weight (even though I have had some good bargains because of this "crime"  .

[GracefulLion]

OH!!!  I finally got to look at this and I absolutely LOVE it!!  I would wear it in a heartbeat!  So glad you are keeping it.

[webmistress]

That is not scrap! It is fabulous. you can get an extender. There is a jeweler here that specializes in period jewelry. You could sell it which will bring in less. Consign might be more worthwhile. But I'd get something to lengthen it if you want to wear it.

[saqsay1]

joia, i believe it is called a  rat tail chain. i don't even know if they make chains like this anymore. i think what i will probably do is have it reshaped in the center to open it up. that would probably add another couple of inches. if necesary, i think i would just add an extra length of chain or silk cord. my hair is fairly long. i doubt anyone would notice.
 thank you all for the compliments. i am actually looking forward to trying to wear it. it is as stated, Retro Fab!

[shiba]

Yes, totally retro fab!  If ever you do tire of it though, don't sell it for scrap.  Send it to someone who will reuse the gold and have something special made. 

[SaoriViola]

go Shiba! totally what i said.  is that like Shiba-Inu?  one of the cutest puppies ever.

[oldmancoyote]

Yes, totally retro fab!  If ever you do tire of it though, don't sell it for scrap.  Send it to someone who will reuse the gold and have something special made. 

No need to re-use the gold. There's plenty of specialist dealers who would be very happy to buy it for what it is!