Featured Finds Thread

Hi,
I had a necktie from India all covered with feathers in patterns. It had a ribbon strap so need to knot it. I loved that tie but I had a friend who was very big into hunting. On a whim I gave it to him.
greg

 

That is very pretty, Terry. Sterling frame?

 

Prata de lei - whatever that is

 

Solid silver - 925 - in Portuguese. And that even more suggests butterfly wing: these pieces were made in Brazil in the 20s and 30s.

 

The colors really look butterfly, the structure looks feather. They all have light shifting color. The blue and black are reverse painted on the glass.

 

Definitely butterfly wing and a very nice one. If you look at butterfly wing under a loupe it has that linear look to it. Feathers are larger and have more complex structures: pinnae. That colour shift is also a good indicator. I'd say you've a very pretty Brazilian silver butterfly wing pendant from the 20s or 30s.

 

Here are examples of both - first, butterfly scales -
https://www.google.com/search?q=clo...CAQsARqFQoTCKja2PuKhsYCFcI0rAodPHQAcA#imgrc=_

Then, bird feather tips -

https://www.google.com/search?q=clo...X&ved=0CB0QsARqFQoTCN-H-pSLhsYCFYQfrAod4qwA_g

 

Here's part of two lots I bought recently.


I bought the lots hoping that that the red necklace was cherry amber bakelite which it is! Yay! In the picture below, the 3 necklaces on the left behind the bakelite are all hand-knotted and look to be jade, carnelian, and some sort of jasper.

The last necklace on the right has amethyst beads. No clue on the bigger stones on that one either, but I haven't really started looking for something comparable yet.

 

That pink and green string looks like unakite. The green doesn't look like jade, more like pale aventurine. The one on the right is most likely garnets and...? Those bracelets might be something good, but it's hard to tell.

 

The bracelets are meh. Molded stones on one, and another one is a butterfly wing bracelet. Most are less than $20 items - but they'll make me back more than what I paid for the lots and the bakelite will be extra. A small bit of fraying on the knots, but at 70 grams and 36", it should do well enough anyways.

Thanks for the tip on the unakite...that one hadn't crossed my mind, and it should have given the fact that I have unakite earrings up right now!

Ah, and aventurine was what I was thinking of, not jade.

 

The bakelite should do well, very nice!

Also from last weekend's neighborhood sale, Lin (KY) Chinese roof tile. 12"x12". It is absolutely stunning in person. If I had a place to display it, I'd be tempted to keep it.

 

Any marks on the tile? I sold all of mine but during my last research , I found that those are most likely from Taiwan. Some are vintage but they are still made today.

 

Yes, it has a clear mark on the reverse of the maker Lin, first initials K Y. This isn't even that old, 1990s approx, but this maker has a following, and the pieces seem to be doing quite well. Thanks.

 

Just remembered what was these called, Koji pottery.
According to http://www.ameurasiart.com/chinese_roof_tile_figures.htm
Mr. Lin does only private commissions now, so if you are not in a rush to sell it, it may increase in value in the future.

 

Can I cry about one that got away?

Darn it all, who holds an auction and winds it up within an hour and a half? Most auctions I've been to drag on for hours upon hours and they save the best for last. I won't make the mistake of waiting an hour and then heading there again.

There were only about 30 people, if that, at the auction, so I'm thinking someone got this for a song and a dance.



And then to rub salt in the wound, there were about 20 box lots of jewelry that I missed as well and they all went to one guy. Most of it didn't look like anything too special, but jewelry isn't easy to come by in lots around here as it's not an affluent area - I could have at least resold them in lots if there weren't any hidden gems.

 

That's a shame, Tie.die!

 

and they save the best for last.

Funny..!
Native American auctions are the exact opposite......

 

Really? I guess I shouldn't have assumed anything then...maybe it differs from auctioneer to auctioneer or region to region (or maybe we're just weird here...lol).

I don't do auctions a lot, but the one near here that I've gone to several times, they start out with little junk box lots. And they go on forever. When they start to move onto other things, they'll throw in a few more attractive things here and there, but most of the good stuff seems to be put in well into the auction.

Oh well, lesson learned.

 

Around here often the junk comes last. The rest can be any old time. I'd have jumped all over that necklace; it looks like classic 60s D&E and in mint condition. If it's what I think it is, it's an easy $200 sale. Maybe $300. If it's Sherman it might be worse. Today I went to an estate sale. Bought one antler, a small one, for five bucks. The rest of bambi's buddies stayed in my wallet, darnitt. Wait outside for an hour and... an antler.

 

My thought was D&E too. And it looks like there are matching earrings with it too....though it's kind of hard to tell from the picture as they look a bit darker than the necklace. If the earrings do match, possibly even more than $300...though I would be happy with $300.