Lots and Lots...In These Lots... (pt 2) Questions

These are the questionable items I have procured from the lots. Some will be for my collection, some will go towards making back the purchase price.

First up, this set of brooches. I've found identical examples of the mini mosaic with slight color variations as vintage grand tour esque italian made. What sort of age are we looking at with the black flower, and what sort of material? When the hinge isn't a T but the pin sticks out, is that 1900-1920ish?




The large brooch is very interesting. Its some sort of plastic, you can see through to the otherside of the rhinestone in one area. The inlay is metal of some kind, I wondered if silver is a possibility? And the red beads, plastic or coral? Annoyingly, the pin is too short and so the brooch cannot be fastened, but its a fascinating piece none the less.



One of the lots came with these 3 watch chains, my question is about their age. I was reading up a little on spring or ring clasps for necklaces, and found these looked like the victorian variety.

Why are my photos so blurry ​

 

Unfortunately the smaller chain with this interesting design is broken.


Finally, these two necklaces. Quite curious about these. There were a couple of bangles that turned out to be plastic, but this lattice necklace has a completely different feel. I do believe its some sort of natural material, but what? its one elastic or fishwire or whatever it is, but I wondered if its a restring job.
I had a horrible time trying to photograph it, if its not enough I'll try again.




I thought this might be coral from the seller's photos. It's not plastic as its quite cold, so my guess is ceramic? Its on old cotton, and simply knotted. The black beads look rather modern though right?



Finally, that is all from the lots! For now at least haha. I still have to post my little mini portrait brooch I know! I'll get to it tomorrow if I can. That and the last of the vide grenier finds.

Ty for looking and enjoying with me!​

 

the coral looks like glass....

 

those look like plier marks

 

Oh that would be less exciting, they seemed so uniform on each link.

 

ya...and all in the exact same place ....

I have a thick link watch chain and every link is marked with a silver standard.....but not where the links close....

 

The off white necklace is bone. The parallelogram--ish pin looks like tortoiseshell. It could be set with anything, and would indeed feel like plastic. The silver watch chain with the lion is an "anchor chain". I love those. Tortoise pieces can't be sold here at all, so if I had it into my hoard it would go. (darn!)

 

Yes, Italian made. 20th century, so long after the Grand Tour period.

Are you sure it isn't a T-hinge? It looks like a small one to me, but it is dark metal on a dark flower, so difficult to see.
The material is difficult to tell from a photo. I see a bubble, so presumably a cast material.
Normally you could test both gutta percha and vulcanite by rubbing it and see if it smells like rubber, but the flower look a little delicate. There are other ways.
Gutta percha is most likely, taste the back with the tip of your tongue. If it tastes salty, it is gutta percha. If not, it could be vulcanite. Make sure it doesn't get wet though, neither gutta percha nor vulcanite like to be wet, it leaves stains.
Vulcanite, rub an inconspicuous part on the back of a white tile. Vulcanite leaves a powdery brown streak.

 

Oh tortoise would be a new one! I'll have to check it, just saw you all recommend a test on another thread so I'll get to it tomorrow. Thank you on the ID for the necklace! Odd design to be in bone, odd design in general, perhaps a subject to research further.

 

Oh you're quite right its almost like an inbetween. Its a T hinge with rounded outside parts, rather than a rolled up hinge you see in the later ones.



There is no rubber smell, and I don't think it tastes salty. I'll try to find a tile. Here's a better photo!

 

don't stick your tongue with that pin..........

 

Its quite the stabber isnt it!

 

Indeed a modest T. It does look like it could be a later one though, the construction is similar to 1920s backs. It isn't a type I've seen before, so let's wait for the others.

I wonder if the flower is made of some pressed material and lacquered. That would explain the bubbles, like bubbles you see in paint sometimes. The linear shapes on the back look as if it was pressed using a cloth covered press.

 

That “resin” brooch may be Pierre Bex.

 

Did he do anything without clear resin over the top? It still looks like tortoiseshell, especially from the back.

 

That could be the answer! It has a plasticy sound when tapped, but feels too rough.

It does indeed look very similar to Pierre Bex, but I've still not been able to test for tortoise shell, I thought I saw somewhere you use baking soda, but that was on a thread for bakalite instead. I don't have a UV light. (