Value beyond scrap?

It's black glass. Not very showy. Any chance it would sell for more than the value of the back metal?

 

What would it originally have held? A watch?

Debora

 

I think it is Whitby jet rather than glass.

 

I think it may be too, it would look wonderful with a baroque pearl hanging from it. Don't scrap it!!!

 

It's as hard as glass. I can't get any light through it.

 

Have you tried the old-school "tooth tap" test? Where you tap the material on your tooth? If you've never done it before, try it with a variety of plastics and glass.

For me, it is the absolute quickest way to determine if something is glass.

Whitby jet is also warm to the touch.

 

the pin and clasp say it's older so someone could be looking for just thiss type of item to hang their pendant...

 

Try a photo without the light reflection,it looks like banding near the top and all of the white streaks.

 

I can't do without reflections I guess. And every time I toug\ch it it's greasy fingerprints. Just plain black though.

 

Do you have an antique jewelry dealer near you? I have to wonder why someone would set a piece of black glass in 14k gold, but I have seen strange things.

If it does turn out to be glass, crazy people like me go for mourning jewelry. Please don't scrap it! Search eBay for mourning pins

 

It's probably black onyx.

 

I'm with Holly, most likely to be black onyx.

 

Think this is most likely, since it is designed so that what is suspended can be removed & the hook folded out of sight for wear as a plain bar brooch.

 

Could be, either way it's probably a mourning piece and I would research that!

 

For me, most likely is watch or locket.

 

It looks Edwardian to me rather than Victorian; inclined to think it's just black.

 

Mourning brooch missing a pendant which held a photo or lock of hair, seen lots of them. Not Whitby jet, I'd agree on onyx. Best test for true jet is to rub it VERY gently on unglazed porcelain or china, such as the innnards of a loo cistern. You get a black smear.

 

Did it sell?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/French-Jet...520071?hash=item5461c47dc7:g:78kAAOSwI3FbeG0w

 

It's gonna melt