Featured Antique/vintage ivory puzzle balls earrings.

I had the luck to catch these after a message asking the US seller if he would consider selling abroad, and he said yes and even the price was reduced!
So, for 35$ and 18$ shipping fees, they are MINE .

Screw posts and chain (base metal) had to be removed to convert them into pierced ears hooks, which are my favorite systems.

Rather big at 2.3cm or 7/8" diameter, perfect condition, 3 balls inside

Listing pic:


After my kyratisation:

 

You have the magic!!

Beautiful earrings and I love the new hooks.

 

Thank you @judy!
They are very lightweight and so comfy to wear

 

You're welcome!

Wear them in good health

 

Lovely restoration!

 

Outstanding! I swear You have some kind of magic. I don't know how you do this, but you find the best things.

 

They ARE lovely.....and you said there are 3 balls inside....and said they are puzzles!!!! SOOOOO, do they come apart and have you figured them out yet......THAT'S what I want to know!!!!!!!

 

Hi,
The puzzle balls do not come apart. They were carved into three separate pieces all inclosed in the original ball. I remember a 5" ball that had seven carved balls inside one another. It was a favorite piece of mine which again I regretted selling. They are wonderful pieces. The puzzle was how they were carved not that they were a puzzle to be taken apart.
greg

 

Wow, you did a lovely restoration. Enjoy them and thanks for sharing,

 

Thank you for your enthousiastic comment and kind words!
Ebay hunting can be fructuous, specially when spending hours to scroll down thousands of pics

Thanks Aqui!
Greg answered below about what are puzzle balls, in fact carved from a whole piece of ivory, each ball having round “windows” allowing to carve further inside and be able to move the following ball to reach every part.
Usually carved in Canton, thus their French name “boule de Canton”

Greg! Your puzzle ball must have been really impressive! I can understand your regret to have it sold

Aww, thank you Pearls!
I did rather an adaptation rather than a restoration, as they were born as screw back in the 1920s

 

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/puzzle-balls-from-guangzhou

 

that stuff is wild !!

 

WoW!

 

Now Kyra...don't hate me ...but i need to point out that the point at witch the loop holds the star cut out in the ivory disc..... is what ya call a 'weak link in the chain'....
for display they're lovely......but i'd be afraid that wear...even though they are light....would stress that contact point and might just crack it , leaving one or both balls on the floor !

 

Gorgeous earrings and a perfect adaptation, kyra.
I have smaller puzzle ball earrings from the same era, just one ball inside the other, and a pendant as well. The earring balls are on chains so they really dangle, very cute.

About what komo said, the weak link, I was wondering about that as well. Maybe a thin support wire from ring to ring at the back of the discs?

 

those little star cut outs offer stress points in the material.....

 

How could I hate a guy who “would be afraid to leave one or both balls on the floor”!!!
I understand the weak link in the chain part and will do something to remedy the issue!
Thank youuuu!

A J! That is the remedy!!! I have to find a really thin golden wire to install between the two rings at back as you suggest, THANK YOU FOR THE IDEA!

Totally agree this will be fixed asap

 

These are lovely, how did you wash them up? Kyra?

 

Thanks Anti! I did not wash them... the yellow tint is only from the seller's pic!
Their real color is faint yellowish cream, couldn't capture it... somewhat between my two pics (#2 & #3) in first post of the thread

 

Your photography is better too!