Featured gold bead necklace

So I was getting this necklace ready to photograph to find out what age it might be and to ask if I should bother to restring it or leave it as is.
Also, it was a good example of how old neglected gold which has been exposed to god-knows-what isn't always pretty and gleaming and can fly under the radar - sneaking by the thrift store pricing staff.

And then ...

< le sigh >



So ... the decision to restring or leave as is was sort of made for me ... unless I decide to sell the pieces for scrap or whatever.

It was 14" long. Does this indicate any particular time periods?

As shown in the last photo, the beads are about 1/8" or 3mm in diameter. They appear to have been strung on a cord of braided silk. I can buy silk cording that looks identical (as far as I can tell), to this.

The ends of this cord are affixed inside the gold clasp by some sort of brownish resin or pitch. I have seen this method used on other old (antique or nearly antique) beaded necklaces that I own. What is this stuff called? Can I melt it out of the hollows of the clasp and reuse it? Can it be purchased? Obviously, I need to know what it is in order to search for it ....

This substance is sort of visible in this photo


Thanks for looking and I welcome your thoughts on this necklace.

 

Those metal beads were always going to saw through silk eventually. A strand I have from 1970 is strung on fine braided wire & has still needed the attention of a jeweller a couple of times when the wire stretched from constant wearing, leaving an unattractive gap. The clasp is soldered to the end beads.

Just measured. Mine is 14", sits just at the base of my scrawny neck.

Your brownish stuff could be hide glue: right color & tough as all get out.

 

Thank you!
I suppose choker length necklaces were probably made in one form or another in just about every modern decade.

Hide glue, huh? Sounds familiar. Was this mentioned on this forum in some other section recently? Going to have to google it.

Noticed mine was fraying pretty severely as I was measuring it. Then wanted to see if I could even wear it. It clasped, but when I flexed the tendons (or muscles ... or whatever) in my neck, that was that. At least none of the beads went flying.

 

One idea would be to knot between the beads when you restring. It naturally makes the necklace a hair longer and it's harder for the beads to saw through. Alternately you could restring on tigertail; it's tougher. If that's legit hide glue, I think heat loosens it up. I watch a furniture restoration guy on Youtube sometimes (Thomas Johnson - talk about a real artist!) and he uses hide glue on antique pieces. If you have a heat gun you might be in luck.

 

I'd say. scrap it and move on....

 

Liquid hide glue,possibly available at your local hardware store.
https://www.woodstocksupply.com/titebond-liquid-hide-glue-8-oz-5013-franklin-international.html

 

This is why we still stop by Thriftstores.

 

YUP!

 

Great find!!
It’s an international pastime on the forum, getting one over the eagle eyes of the staff
That will polish up a treat.
I’d weigh it, calculate the scrap value, restring it and double the scrap price.

 

Thanks for your input!
I think knotting would work if the bead-holes weren't nearly as large as the beads themselves. I have a bunch of tigertail, but I think even the very fine flexible style would change the way this necklace moved or felt.
Of course we have a heat gun ... doesn't everybody? (no, really, we do .... )

 

I know several people who would do this. I don't think I'll take that route, though ... unless somewhere down the line I accidently step on the beads and they squish flat.
Thank you for weighing in, @komokwa ... I appreciate all opinions.

 

Well look at that!
So, IF I managed to get the old glue out, I wouldn't have to reuse it.
Thank you.

 

Exactly!

 

I would restring on a similar silk cord, and just use epoxy to affix the cord into the clasp. You'd have to dig out the old glue and the bit of cord stuck inside.
It would be tedious, but do-able.

 

Thank you!
(I sense a kindred spirit )
It's sort of a game I play with the thrifts.

 

Thank you!
Epoxy had crossed my mind. But now that @Hollyblue showed that hide glue is pretty readily available, I'm tempted to try that route (IF the old glue cooperates).

 

Now that many of the Thrifts have become so venal & 'For Profit' it is fun to trick them (well for god sakes-at least we appreciate the piece !).
There are still a few righteous Thrifts & that's where all my donations go.I'm sorry the folks at the 'good' thrifts get abused (Covid,snippy customers,low wages)-they do manage to keep a smile on their faces & I treat them with great courtesy,I know f@#^in Retail well !
Getting one over on for profit Swillwill is the peak of modern pickin'-the Powerball of the thrifting.
I swear they got an electron microscope in the back room looking for hallmarks.

 

The local ones around me don't need an electron microscope ... this is the fine print in their online auctions
"Testing: Gold, Silver & Platinum tested using Niton DXL Precious Metal Analyzer.

Gemstones precious stones tested using Presidium Gem Tester II The Presidium tester does not differentiate between natural and lab created stones"

Fortunately, they don't bother to test EVERY piece they get in (or sell)

 

Sorry Quirky-So the local Goodwill has online auctions via Ebay,or some other platform ?
Do all Goodwill Auctions have that fine print ?

 

Goodwills all across the country at shopgoodwill.com
They don't all have the same exact fine print ... Some state that they acid test their pieces. Some make no mention of testing at all.