Pearls from Scottish river Tay

[pearlescence]

The Tay is only one of the rivers: more info http://www.snh.org.uk/press/detail.asp?id=1926

There are two jewellers in Edinburgh licenced to deal in scottish pearls but I have a feeling they have not had any to deal in for some years.

I did see reports that one bed was harvested illegally last year but it is thought no pearls were found

[CLICLASP]

First cleaning, I did what you said, brushed all around a little, counting till 15 in the water then rince,
Second, about freshwater pearls as far as I can see, saltwater pearls prices decrease when the most beautiful freshwater ones increase, so in a way, customers do it justice. Only beauty counts, and when one gets eyes to see both pearls and prices ... it works .
Yes we are in the" scottish pearl family" now

.......

CliClasp how did you clean them. You had better share now because they came up a treat! Did you use the salt sludge and for how long did you swish them around.
.......

It is still a great shame that freshwater pearls have the lesser appreciation by the general public. So many put many salt water pearls to shame.

Our pearls do look like siblings. Guess we are family now CliClasp.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

[Bodecia]

You really did a great job. Even the silver looks clean. How did you do that or did the salt sludge help with that too? How many times did you brush and swish. Works doesn't it. I use the plastic container for most of the swishing around but also use a soft tooth brush if it is an item like a brooch or a string of pearls which has a lot of grot.

Anyone that starts researching pearls and comes across the Pearl Guide soon learns that freshwater pearls can be wonderful and better than saltwater many times but general public still probably have a prejudice against FWs.

Yes, the beauty is what counts but also the long life of all nacre pearls and that is what our freshwater beauties have.

Check back tomorrow around this time and I will have uploaded my pics of brooch all cleaned up. They look so very similar. The pearls in my brooch are pretty much the same size as yours. 7 to 9mm x 5 mm x 3 to 4.5 mm. I think whatever they are we have the same pearls so keep me/us informed please.

Did you have to pay a fortune for yours? Mine didn't cost me an arm and a leg. I was lucky.

One other thing. Been meaning to say for ages that I love the way you do pearl clasps. I soon hope to buy some from you. Hope I am allowed to say that. Think that is okay. Will contact you privately when I can lash out and buy a few. Maybe get you to send me a price list. If you have one

Bye again, Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

[Bodecia]

Thanks pearlescence,

Very interesting information. Have you seen any Tay River pearls in the flesh so to speak.

I found some interesting info on Kari Pearls site too. And photos. Always nice.

I know someone suggested a little while back (not long ago) that we should or should think about having a collection of natural pearl photos for interest and to help with identification of same. I think it is a great idea. Might have been CliClasp. Was it you CliClasp?

I think many of us could offer the odd photo of pearls that we have and believe are naturals of one kind or another. Could be stated what info we have on them and whether or not they have been certified as naturals or not.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

[CLICLASP]

About the cleaning, I really did it simple, in the sink itself ,
as I said, brushed with an old one and let the brooch in salt water for 15 seconds, not more.

I really doubt the mounting be silver, it is not the color, neither the aspect, this would mean, these pearls would have been taken in very poor consideration at their time to be treated in such a poor setting.
But I should be pleased to be wrong, if you can check silver on your side, then we would know.

I paid less than 100 E, for a collector's piece, it is not expensive.

Yes I suggested by the past, but not only me, to have a gallery on PG with natural pearls which photos could be offered by members having natural pearls.
Same for story of pearls.

Thanks to Pearlescence for bringing relative infos on Tay river pearls.

[pearlescence]

btw I don't clean pearls in salt.

[CLICLASP]

what do you recommend as cleaning process ?

[Bodecia]

Sorry Wendy (pearlescence),

Must have been someone else that also uses that method. Thought it was you. I know Caitlin does and I have many times, very gently. What method do you use for cleaning really filthy old pearls.

I realise you most deal with new pearls so there would be no need for such a method.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

[Caitlin]

I used the salt slurry to clean my Bahraini pearls. I am not sure about using it for bead nuked pearls-it may over-dry the skins, unless done quickly. I have also used mild detergent like shampoo when the dirt is not visible on freshwaters. Liquid castille soap also works. I have no experience in cleaning nuked pearls, but I'd say don't try this on thin-skinned akoyas. Like the mineral oil, a salt slurry is for a one-time deal.

Douglas also says a dunking in Mineral oil cleans of protein build ups, off pearls but not to use that as a cure-all or very often, so I'd say once on new-found, dehydrated pearls.

Pictures are of dirty radiatas and then clean ones after the salt slurry

[pearlescence]

I use either a very oily soap, just lather up my hands then rub the pearls gently or I might also use soapwort if it available

[CLICLASP]

[QUOTE=Bodecia;69896]
It is still a great shame that freshwater pearls have the lesser appreciation by the general public. So many put many salt water pearls to shame.
/QUOTE]

So as you said, on the same photo :
the Tay blister pearls (at least 50 years old), a FW China strand and one 12 mm South Seas pearl of same color.
Everyrone can judge by her/himself

[Bodecia]

Hi,

Cleaned my brooch/pearls and they look better. Photos not great but I am sure we have the same type of pearls. When I said I would test I forgot that my tester only does gold from 6kt to 24kt and also Platinum. Not silver. Would need a different test. What I am thinking is that our brooches might be 835 silver or another grade of silver but not as high as sterling. Sterling tarnishes very easily but European silver does not and it looks a little different and doesn't polish as shiny. Just might be what we have. Unmarked European silver, just not sterling.

Anyway it is the pearls we care about.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

[Bodecia]

I have actually given my pearl brooch another good rinse and soft brush with toothbrush after posting these photos as I spotted what could have been a little salt left between pearl and silver. Just shows how much we need to be careful when rinsing. Gone now though.

Dawn
eBay Seller ID dawncee333

[Bodecia]

Hi All,

Do you think these are actually Pearls from the River Tay?

Also what kind of value do these pearls have?

Anyone have any ideas ???

Dawn
eBay seller ID dawncee333

[CLICLASP]

A interesting find for collectors
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...#ht_500wt_1353