Pearl brooch from 1930's Paris

Hi, I found a pearl brooch inside a drawer of a second-hand cabinet, which we had purchased for normal use. The brooch was contained inside a really worn, brown box, with M. DROZ / Joaillier / 16 Rue Halevy / Paris (Opera) engraved in the gold fabric lining. The brooch itself consists of two large pearls, surrounded by a flowery pattern, and there's some sparkly stone material inside the flowery pattern.

I did an internet search of the name and address, and I found a poster for the jeweler:

http://www.befr.ebay.be/itm/PUBLICI...RE-JOAILLIER-SPECIALISTE-M-DROZ-/321536356279

So I'm going to guess that the pearls are real, and it was purchased for at least 1000 francs, which is equivalent to ~$500 USD in today's value.

How much is this worth? Should I sell it and use the money to buy myself a new phone?

 

Can we see it?

 

The pin may not have original come in that box. Where did you get the information "and it was purchased for at least 1000 francs"?

My guess on the pin is it is silver with marcasites and pearls, real or not no one can tell from a photo. But that price seems very, very high for a pin like this even with real pearls. Are there any marks on the pin itself?

 

The poster says 1000 - 60,000 fr, but I think that may refer to necklaces only, whoops

Also, there are no marks on the pin itself. But the store seems to specialize in pearls.

 

In all fairness, I didn't do a goggle search on the company. The pin looks to be 2 earrings without backs (where the holes are) soldered together. The front of the pinback part looks like it sticks out from each edge. Am I seeing this correctly?

 

Marie is the expert here, but I'd have said the same thing. Fine jewelry comes in a box that fits the piece. This pin is way too small for that box. I'd really like to see better photos of just the pin on a plain background with good light.

 

If it were mine, I'd start with the premise that the brooch was original to the box. From the ad, we learn that M. Droz was a high-end jeweler (given the address) of imported natural and cultured pearls and that pins were on sale for 100 fr in the 1930s. So I would assume -- prior to testing -- that the pearls were cultured and the metal was precious. (Can't see "stones" in your photographs well enough to see what they might be, marcasite or other.) There appears to be no other information on M. Droz available on the internet (besides the ad you found and an empty box that was listed for a modest price on eBay France) but we do know that, because the address on your box is different from that in ad, the store was in business for a period of time and moved at least once. Interestingly though, the store logo and ad design is high art deco and the design of your pin is not which could be a clue that it isn't original to the box. At any rate, doesn't really matter as doubtful M. Droz attribution wouldn't add to value. The thing to do is check it carefully for markings, have jeweler check pearl, metal and stones to ascertain if real/not and make educated guess as to age based on design and trombone closure.

Debora

 

Test the pearls to make sure. Sometimes a label is just a label. Measure twice cut once sort of thing.

 

Measure twice , cut once..sorta thing .......

 

Like Antiduem, I also think they look like originally 2 earrings. The posts or clips may have gotten damaged. If originally earrings, they may have come in this box. Because the fronts with the pearls were in good condition, the owner had them made into a brooch. That trombone clasp just doesn't look original or right with this piece. Like someone else has pointed out it looks too big.

--- Susan

 

Thanks for all your replies! I think you guys are right, it's actually two earrings that were glued together at a later date. The pin at the back doesn't open. I'm not sure if it opened before, and just stopped opening due to old age. Tomorrow, when there's good daylight, I'll take a picture of the pearls on top of a white background.

Debora, can you post a link to the ebay empty box you found?

 

If this were mine, I would first wash and polish the setting to look for marks.
Once clean, I would run my front teeth over the pearl. If smooth, it is costume, if you jump through the roof because the sandpaper grits your teeth, they are real.

That is a trombone clasp. You pull the cap in the direction of the arrow.

 

I did the teeth thing, and it's definitely gritty. Oooo, wow, I opened that trombone clasp.

 

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Schmuckkaste...336457?hash=item5691cd4589:g:aO4AAOSw5cNYPW2y

Debora

 

I'm a little baffled as to why someone would take two earrings, glue them together and put such a substantial clasp on them. Your photographs really aren't very good quality so hard to see details. Does it look like a clip have been removed from the center of each flowerette?

Debora

 

Yes, there are two holes in the middle of each flower. I think the earrings probably broke and could no longer be put into someone's ears, so they turned it into a clasp to salvage it.

 

Secret.....

 

I keep cutting this board and it's STILL too short!!