Ideas about a silver necklace....?

Oh, boy. Now that I've found you, you all are in trouble now. I'm getting out some items I've been curious about for awhile. This is a necklace that is marked Sterling on the clasp, but has no other markings. It looks Danish to me, but who knows? I love that the back is as nicely finished as the front. It is very small around, so I think part of the hallmark may have been taken off when someone shortened it. Any ideas? Age? (I thought maybe 50's?) Designer?

 

Maybe Mexican ? 40s-50s sounds right.

 

It does remind me of a Spratling piece I once handled.

 

I thought that, too....

 

I really "Like" this comment.... ! The leaves look cast to me...did Spratling ever do cast work? I think that's why I assumed it wasn't Mexican silver....

 

I paid $14.00 for it about 12 years ago. Whoot Whoot! I always assume Spratling until proven otherwise....

 

Wouldn't Spratling have marked it 925?
Is there anything like a letter in a circle next to sterling?
Early Danecraft wasn't signed.

 

BTW - Welcome to the board.
It's a lovely necklace.

 

Thank you, clutteredcloset! I've been learning so much looking through old posts! Just love it...

 

The clasp has "Sterling" written out, but no 925 and no other marks. Mexican silver tends to have maker's marks displayed over large areas of the back of the piece. I do have a feeling it's more in the lines of Danecraft or other Scandinavian, as much as I'd like to have a Spratling...

 

Contrary to how it sounds, Danecraft is an American company.
Sterling is an American designation for 925 parts silver.
Other countries use the number 925, 800, etc for parts to 1000 silver.

Since your necklace is marked Sterling, I would bet on it being American made.

 

You know it just occured to me.
Is the jump ring the clasp is attached to, soldered? The clasp could have been replaced.

It appears to be correct, but the picture is blurred.

 

I have a 14K clasp on my 18K chain.....it's stronger .

 

A lovely, elegant necklace. I'm sure it looks very nice the other way around as well.
Being European, my first flash thought was Jensen. My second flash was no. Danish pieces are usually marked, Jensen always is, of course.
Mexican silver marking is very inconsistent.
Spratling did make cast pieces, but his work is always marked.
Designers who worked for Spratling sometimes made Spratling copies or Spratling-like jewellery after they left. I have a classic Spratling Maya design bracelet made by someone who once worked for him. The designer used his own mark.

Here is an odd thought: Poland makes a lot of good quality Art Nouveau floral style jewellery. The Nouveau period just never stopped there. The jewellery usually has good assay and date marks, but some just mark their jewellery 925.
Here is a Polish Art Nouveau style brooch from the 1980s:

 

The jump ring on both sides are not soldered. I'm sure someone shortened it. It is 14" in length. Luckily, I have a skinny neck, but made an extender for it for when I want it a little longer.

 

Beautiful! I love amber and have some pieces from Poland and around the Baltic. The finish on this is a little different than those pieces, that tend to be very well polished and not cast. But of course, I've only seen the ones that I've seen. Someday, ask me about what I found in a piece of raw amber from the Dominican Republic that I was polishing for a piece of jewelry. It's a good story. Another post. By-the-way, I just dabble in jewelry making for myself and gifts. Never sell....I'm not that good...haha.