Featured Info on earrings

Hi all I brought these after reading another thread in the history of earrings and read that the screw ones were ones to look for.
Saying that can someone tell me how old these may be they look nicely detailed imo maybe 50s if I have a guess myself. They are sterling and have an 18 stamped in the back of each,makers stamp maybe. These is something on the round whatever you call it! Best way to clean please. Also do you think it' the original box. Chris

 

Think it's 81, but don't know what it means either way. Model number, perhaps. They're very pretty. Surprised there is any advice out there recommending screw back earrings as desirable. Clips can pinch, but the screws have a way of working loose & you can easily lose one.

The box might be original to them. If so, it has lost the insert that held them in place. Perhaps it became ragged with taking the earrings out & putting them back & was discarded.

Will let others advise on cleaning. It is not complicated. Would just suggest that you not over polish. These look better with some patina.

 

Marcasite in silver, 1940s, box has nothing to do with them. Gentle brush with an old toothbrush and a Sunshine cloth after. I agree it's 81, and that's a European 1, which makes sense.

 

Pretty earrings.
Agree, 81 and model number. And, as Obb said, the box has nothing to do with the earrings. Could be German, since there are no French, Belgian, Dutch marks. Germans tended to be sloppy about marking.
Both screwbacks and clips can be difficult to sell, as most women have pierced ears nowadays. We usually buy dangle earrings, because the screwbacks can be replaced by hooks if the buyer wants.

 

Those are pretty, Chris. I especially like how the tiny silver beads (that are scattered around the marcasites), look to be functional - holding the small stones in place - and not just decorative.

I wonder if the author of what you were reading was perhaps referring to pierced earrings with a threaded post and a screw back, which were/are sometimes used on small high value earrings (e.g. diamond studs) as a safety measure to prevent losing them.

One of the advantage of having pierced ears is that it allows the wearer to enjoy ALL typed of earrings ... pierced and non-pierced. I do ... although the non-pierced varieties come with a time limit ... after which, my lobes start yelling at me.

 

There is a market for both clip and screw backs. Albeit, not as broad as pierced. I make a point of hunting out clip earrings and do quite well with sales in my brick and mortar.

I think the word that you see on the back of the round screw is "Sterling".

Oh and I wear more clips than pierced, because they are bigger and brighter than pierced. Make more of a statement.

 

Never had a problem making a statement with pierced:

Sindh, Pakistan, ca 1900. 11 cm. / 4.33 inches long.

 

My one experience with screw back earrings was at Halloween when I was 12 and my ears weren't pierced yet so I wore my grandmothers chandelier style screw back earrings with a costume and my ears still hurt when I look at a pair!

 

Probably because you put them on wrong and then tweaked them straight.
What you're doing is twisting the skin and pinching it. If they are not straight, you have to unscrew them, re-position and then tighten again.

 

I always figured it was wearer error. I was afraid of losing them and probably tightened them down like a vise. I always took anything very seriously if it belonged to my grandma.