Featured Jewelry Menders Assemble! Odd question Incoming

Okay so this isn't quite a mending question as it is a converting question. I've stumbled across a pair of what I now know to be hat pins. I was under the first impression that they were hair pins, and thought they'd be a lovely gift for my sister's birthday. They're rather thin, but she has thick hair. Is there any way to convert something like this to a hair pin intrusively? I obviously don't want to destroy them in the process. I can't find anything online about a conversion like this, is it as simple as sticking an earring back on it and dulling the tip a little, or more complicated?

TYIA!
​

 

My ignorance is showing...
What's the difference between a hair pin and a hat pin? Hat pins go through a hat and into the hair... are hat pins simply just longer? And/or do hair pins just have a thicker shaft? ( )
The tip of the one shown doesn't look dangerously sharp.
Thanks, just trying to educate myself!

EDIT: Putting some thought into this... I suppose hair pins need to be thicker than hat pins because they are meant to hold the weight of the bundled hair. Whereas hat pins only go into the hair to hold a (presumably light weight) hat in place.
I would think that a hat pin could easily (and safely) be used in the hair if it was "just for show" and not physically holding a heavy coil of hair in place.

 

I guess they're sharper, thinner and longer? Definitely thinner than the asian ones Im used to seeing anyway.. I did have a look around on pinterest and there's some decorative ones that are thin.

Reading this just gave me the idea that she often wears hair clips anyway, this could go quite happily stuck in there.

Also rereading my post, its supposed to be NON intrusively

 

I wouldn't do anything to them.
Whenever I put my hair up to wear my Javanese hairpins, I start with a ponytail and work from there. I stick the pins behind the elastic band of the ponytail, so the pins are held in place. When I'm finished you don't see the elastic band, just hair and the decorative part of the pins.

That also works.

You gave me the shock of my life with 'intrusively'.

 

I do apologize I most definitely do NOT want to grab an antique off the market and smash it into the shape I want haha

Great! Glad to know it won't be neccesary to change anything. Someone bid before I could sneak an offer in though so I must wait 9 days and potentially lose them, there's also a stunning antique brooch in the lot so not sure this will go in my favor, but fingers crossed!

 

Ditto! You will let us know, won't you?

 

Bien sur!

 

And show us the brooch. Btw - if all else fails, put a stick pin clutch on the end of that hairpin and off she goes.

 

A rather sad update: some lovely person entered a 100e max bid and another even more lovely person outbid that FIVE DAYS before the auction ends. I'm chuffed. The current bid is 101e, all the items are some sort of silver. Not sure how far I'm willing to go. There's 7 items total, I'm not crazy about two of them, but the two hat pins (thanks Miss Ruth for the tip!) and brooch are interesting, there's also a open back glass cross and a smaller circular brooch.

Here's the big brooch:
I don't know what era this style is from, but long and raised pin is generally earlier rather than later?

 

Yes, it is. A beautiful but confusing piece.
First I thought 1840s, but it looks like it could be 18th century. On the other hand there is a possibility it is 'regional', in which case it could be 19th century. I can certainly see why the bidding has gone over 100e.

 

ohhhh shit that's nice !!!!
can u read what's written behind the tube???

 

the stones are cut strange...to my eye.....could be garnets?? or likely glass ?????

 

Well spotted! If there is writing, a manufacturer's mark, it is not 18th century.

 

The cut looks 18th century, which is one of the confusing elements.

Probably glass, but you never know....

 

gotta pull my weight around here....... sometimes !

 

I'd have figured them for garnets, or a mix. With Czech jewelers you never knew.

 

Oh gosh could it be as old as all that? I thought it'd be the pull of the lot for people, but didn't know exactly why other than its a nice example. Perhaps I'll have to fight for it a little. Thank you all! I think its one of those that would be an amazing shawl closure. I have a little silver one that I do that with and it looks great.

 

My personal jury is still out as to the period, but it is certainly antique.

 

To update everyone: the lot was sold for 160 euros, and I passed on it. I had forgotten the brooch has a boars head, so its 19th not 18th. That wouldn't have mattered, but I've spent a lot this month (trip to turkey, and then christmas when I get back) so I decided to let it go. Thanks all for your thoughts!