What kind of pearls are these?

[cara164]

Just wondering if anyone knows what kind of pearls these are? Thank you!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

They look like small blister pearls, maybe Pteria penguin?

 

[cara164]

Thank you very much!

 

[pattye]

Hi Cara,

Please share the story behind the necklace. Is it old? Do you know what country it came from?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Yes, please tell us more-- and more close up photos pease!

 

[cara164]

It came in a large collection of jewelry that I acquired. The necklace is vintage and sterling silver known as “liquid silver”. Unfortunately I don’t know much about pearls and I don’t know too much about the background of this piece. But it sure is beautiful and unique!

 

[cara164]

Typically, liquid silver is associated with the southwest region of the US

 

[pattye]

The cone finish reminded me of southwest jewelry also. The natural colors are so pretty with the oxidized liquid silver. The pearls might be freshwater mabes. Looking closely at the backs (the flat sides) in one of the photos, I think I see the button shape insert used to culture these. Would it be possible to take another photo just showing the flat sides of the pearls?

 

[cara164]

 

[pattye]

Ahh, Cara, thank you! Great photos! You can notice the flat side is where the mabe is cut from the shell and the button shaped material (probably mother of pearl) is visible. So these are cultured freshwater mabes from China.

 

[cara164]

Wonderful! Thank you so much !

 

[Pearl Dreams]

pattye, how do we know they are FW from China and not saltwater?

I see a number of blister mabe pearls listed on eBay from China, but how do we know these are that? Are you basing that on the quality? (I have very limited experience with blister/mabe pearls.)

 

[pattye]

Back 15 years ago or so, I bought a number of fw mabes, both natural color and dyed. Here are 2 pics of some I could find in a hurry. Was thinking we use blister to refer to naturals? Or maybe not? (I still need to take the CPAA class for updated info; finished the GIA pearls course in 2012.)

White ones here are probably bleached, others dyed purple and possibly natural color with the longer tails. More valuable mabes are backed with mop, in my experience.

From the top~



And the back~

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Interesting, thanks!

As I understand the distinction, blister pearls refers to pearls that still contain the hemispherical nucleus and part of the shell they were attached to.
Mabe refers to blister pearls that have been cut out from the shell, the nucleus removed, the inside is filled (don't recall with what) and then the mabe pearl is backed with MOP.

 

[Katbran]

I had a necklace that I bought in the 70's that looked exactly like this but with little Cowrie shells. They had two others, one with Turquoise and one with pearls. I'd forgotten all about it.

 

[Pareltje]

Pattye, thanks for your information. When I saw the pictures of the OP, I guessed they were either American freshwater pearls or dyed Chinese freshwater pearls. I tend to lean more to the American freshwater pearls. Wrong guess. You confirmed that they are Chinese freshwater pearls.

 

[ericw]

Anyway, that's a truly contemporary necklace design, very startling!