Gold & Topaz Jewelry Set, ca. 1835
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GUEST:
This is my great-great-grandmother's. And she got it when she was eight years old for a Christmas present.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.
GUEST:
We figure that's right around 1830.
APPRAISER:
Have you ever had it looked at by an independent appraiser or jeweler?
GUEST:
No. My grandmother did, and the jeweler appraised it for $500. But the thing is, he wanted to buy it for his wife.
APPRAISER:
Well, that should tell you something right there.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Because usually jewelers only want to buy fine pieces for their wives. By looking at the piece, I'm dating it at the early Victorian period, 1830, 1840. It's testing as being 14-karat gold. It is handmade in sections, and they assemble it. This is all filigree work with gold highlights. The gemstones are not the important part of this set. These are foil-backed pink topaz. So they foil-backed with a red backing to give a little more intensity of the color red. I also like this piece because it has the original box. A lot of times these are separated when they're descending through the family. And it's American made...
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And it's probably from this area, upper state New York area. It's a very fine piece. If this piece were ever to come up on a public auction, I feel you would probably get for this around $1,200 to $1,500.
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