Georgian Topaz Brooch & Ear Pendants, ca. 1830
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GUEST:
I got it from a shop in Lincoln. I had looked at what's usually in cases, it's really nice, and there was nothing there, and I went over to what I call the junk jewelry, and it was sitting there on the shelf.
APPRAISER:
Okay, and what did you buy it for?
GUEST:
$15.
APPRAISER:
Wow. When you bought it, was it promoted as something, or did the jeweler say what the stones were?
GUEST:
No, no. I - I made some guesses that maybe they were pink topaz…
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
…Based upon some research that I did.
APPRAISER:
When did you buy this?
GUEST:
Eight years ago.
APPRAISER:
Okay. What we have here is a Georgian cannetille in 14-karat gold suite. So it's a brooch and a pair of ear pendants. This is precious topaz.
GUEST:
It is, okay.
APPRAISER:
And it's actually very intensely colored. And the reason why it's so intensely colored is behind that is a foil back. And it's most likely a colored piece of foil. And this was very typical of what they would do with jewelry and gemstones to enhance the color at around 1830.
GUEST:
Oh.
APPRAISER:
And technically it's considered Georgian jewelry.
GUEST:
That’s great.
APPRAISER:
And one of the elements of Georgian jewelry is the beautiful cannetille work that you can see throughout the openwork mounting here. And the cannetille work is the tiny little wires that are twisted sort of like honeycomb hives that you'll see throughout. And then you have some really pretty gold detail here in the shape of leaves and with the pendant here. And then you have the matching ear pendants that are so pretty and such a great color, and that's an electric pink that...
GUEST:
It's really pretty, it's a pretty pink.
APPRAISER:
Do you wear them very often?
GUEST:
I have never worn it, uh-uh. I think I might have tried them on. I just was a little afraid to wear it in case it was, you know, worth something… yeah.
APPRAISER:
I will say I think it's probably been… um, cleaned a little bit…
GUEST:
Really.
APPRAISER:
…Because something this old would have had more of a patina on it, and it's quite bright. I believe it would probably have been made in England.
GUEST:
Really? Oh, that's great.
APPRAISER:
Also could've been made in America, but in England they did a lot of Georgian jewelry, especially the way it's backed, and… the stones are preserved so well in that foil backing, and that's something that they were quite accomplished at doing. Do you have any idea how much it is worth?
GUEST:
I'm guessing more than $15. (laughs)
APPRAISER:
More than $15. Now have you ever tried to… because you bought it for $15, did you ever try and sell it or...
GUEST:
I did take it to a dealer in another state when I was visiting, a high-end antique dealer. And the person said, she looked it over very carefully and she said, "I agree, it's gold plated, it's not worth much, but I can take it off your hands for you." And I said, "No, thank you, I'll take it home with me."
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
So…
APPRAISER:
Well, that was quite interesting. And she didn't give you a number or value?
GUEST:
She did not give me a number, uh-uh.
APPRAISER:
Well, I would say for auction purposes, you would be looking at about $2,500.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
To $3,500, auction estimate.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
Yeah.
GUEST:
That's… a nice investment, isn't it?
APPRAISER:
I would say so.
GUEST:
Wow, I - I'm surprised. Really surprised. Really surprised. (laughs)
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