Featured Mystery marks antique gold pendant. France? Tunisia? Help please.

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by Any Jewelry, Feb 13, 2017.

  1. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    An antique pendant which I love.
    The seller said that it was first bought in Carthage, Tunisia, about 1910. Tunisia was French at the time. He thought it was silver with a gold mount at the back. I tested all parts, they are all 18k gold. The stones are sapphires, with pearl dangles.
    The marks baffle me. There is a 740 mark (not 750) with what looks like an L and something else in a diamond shape on the white gold, like French marks.
    And there are smaller marks on the rose gold, very worn. One looks like it could be a Tunisian 'tete de Maure' or Moors head mark, the other could be French again.
    The overall shape could be a stylised Hamsa, and there is a pentangle star in the centre, which is found throughout the Maghreb. A twisted yellow gold wire is missing, and possibly a small decoration with it, but I don't mind.
    Any ideas on origin, period, and marks would be appreciated.

    DSC07091 (440x640).jpg DSC07093 (640x408).jpg DSC07094 (435x640).jpg DSC07095 (571x422).jpg DSC07096 (438x640).jpg DSC07097 (640x429).jpg
     
  2. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    Nice photo, nice pendant.....smooshy stamped marks !
    I can't help you here...!
     
  3. terry5732

    terry5732 Well-Known Member

    The diamond cartouche and arrangement of 750 and initials looks French

    A large part of North Africa was French
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2017
  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Thanks, that is what I thought. I have a collection of North African ethnic silver jewellery, and many have French provincial marks next to Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian marks.
    Do you know if the diamond cartouche was/is also used on gold jewellery?
    The diamond shape on this pendant is larger than on most of my 'real' French jewellery, but most of that is a bit more recent than this pendant, maybe they changed the size.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2017
  5. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Thanks.
    I will be posting some older NW Coast jewellery in future, maybe you can help me there.
     
  6. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    Ohhhh....bring it on Girl......I'd love to see anything in my field of study !!!

    :happy::happy::happy::watching::watching::watching::watching::watching::watching:;)
     
  7. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    Hi Any Jewelry!
    This is no doubt it was made in Maghreb :)
    All this area was under French control, and some makers may have adopted the losange shape maker's mark.
    The hallmarks aren't clearly struck for me to see... one may look like an eagle's head facing right, but fine details aren't here.
    I have to put the hand on my Tardy world gold hallmarks to check for Tunisia
     
    Any Jewelry likes this.
  8. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Thanks kyra, yes, the hallmarks aren't clear. They are also worn, because it is clear to me that a previous owner wore it a lot. I also wear it regularly, just around the house, it has a wonderful feel to it.
     
    kyratango likes this.
  9. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    @kyratango, I may have found one of the marks in a German book. Tunisia 1905-1917, for small objects of 750 gold. That fits in with the date of ca. 1910 given by the last owner.
    I mean the bottom mark of these two:
    [​IMG]
    DSC07987 (640x241).jpg
     
    komokwa likes this.
  10. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    Yep! I can see similarities now! :happy:
     
    Any Jewelry likes this.
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