Are these Mississippi Pearls or River Pearls?

[Bodecia]

Hi All, do you think these are Mississippi Pearls or River Pearls. I believe River Pearls from America are given the name of Mississippi pearls regardless of which river they came from. These are supposed to be antique and do appear to be. But I am not as familar with river pearls as cultured and especially Americans know more about their own river pearls than I would.

I do have more photos to crop and size but it is stinking hot and loads of moths have come to the fluros in their eternal quest for death in my office so I am working in another room and only coming in for a few minutes at a time. Here in SA, Australia we have had more than 11 days of temps over your 100 degress and where I live it is more like 105 to 110 degress plus with another week at least before we can expect any relief. Now Adelaide has the record for the city with the longest lasting heat wave of temps over 37 (100) and it looks like due to the coming days it is not likely to be broken soon.

Have very little water here so no way to fight a fire should one break out near me so I have to be ready to grab my animals and a couple of jewellery boxes and hit the road at any time. Bit of a worry.

If I haven't made sense blame it on the heat and lack of sleep.

Bodecia

 

[boo]

Yikes - I have nothing to say about the pearls, but good luck dealing with the heat and drought. Just get your things together to be ready to evac in a jiffy and hopefully you will not need to.

 

[Bodecia]

Thanks boo,

Like you said, hopefully I won't have too. Going to try and get some sleep before long. One of the worst things about the weather is that we had a long hot summer and then along comes Autumn (Fall) and we had two days of relief before this new totally outrageous heatwave hit. Out of season. In the north east of Australia there have been terrible storms and floods. Here just heat, hot winds and no rain for so long I can't remember what it is like.

Hope someone can identify the pearls for me. I think they must be river pearls and as the bracelet came from America I am presumming they are American River Pearls. I could be totally off mark though. Happened before

I will post some more and better photos of it tomorrow plus a little strand of what might be river pearls which came from Canada, I believe.

Bodecia

 

[pattye]

Hi Bodecia,

I too hope your weather will improve soon and the bugs retreat to someplace more appropriate!

Wish I could say I know something about American River Pearls. I bought that double necklace strand awhile back, but haven't had them appraised as yet. They are very small, irregular, mostly rondelle shape, translucent, rich golden-ivory color. I did take them off their thread and restring onto fine wire the other day and wash them, in prep for sending off to be evaluated. The thread was falling apart. I would say they look similar to yours, And I bought them as natural American pearls. I can't say if all American pearls, which were originally found in numerous rivers, would be called Mississippi Pearls. I look forward to seeing more closeup photos of your pearls. The clasp looks very interesting also! Caitlin has a great interest in American natural pearls too!

I look forward to additional photos! Take Care!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Caitlin]

I am looking forward to larger pictures, but from the little I know about Americaan river pearls -those look like they might be. I think "Mississippi" includes any American river-
Is that a bracelet?

Please keep us updated. You are quite the pearl hunter.

Sounds like summer in Tucson- don't sweat too much.

 

[Casey.R]

Are the little pearls usually dangling from victorian pendants usually American pearls? I don't know the proper name for the type of style but I see them now and then at antique flea markets and stores.

 

[Caitlin]

If the article is made in the US- most likely yes. If it from England, they also had freshwater pearls over there. Scotland was a major source of river pearls, but wild freshwaters grew other places too.

 

[Bodecia]

Wish I could say I know something about American River Pearls. I bought that double necklace strand awhile back, but haven't had them appraised as yet. They are very small, irregular, mostly rondelle shape, translucent, rich golden-ivory color. I did take them off their thread and restring onto fine wire the other day and wash them, in prep for sending off to be evaluated.

Hi Pattye, Caitlin and All,

Pattye I knew you had managed to get that double strand. Lucky you. I just couldn't find the money at the time. I thought you got them at a pretty good price. I was watching the pearls. Kept photos of them though Do you think I should have mine evaluated too. The clasp is 14k White Gold with Emeralds. Quite nice. The size of the pearls is for the most part 4 mm with some larger and a few a bit smaller but not many and not by more than a mm

I am looking forward to larger pictures, but from the little I know about Americaan river pearls -those look like they might be. I think "Mississippi" includes any American river- Is that a bracelet?

Please keep us updated. You are quite the pearl hunter.

Sounds like summer in Tucson- don't sweat too much.

Hi Caitlin, I am presuming they are American because they came from America and the clasp being 14k screams American too. I had actually forgotten about the bracelet until a couple of days ago after I posted about that bracelet on ebay. I go on the hunt as you said then pop any real gems away in my drawers and go back on the hunt. As I mentioned before, I am a little crazzzzzy. If I am not designing and creating I am on the hunt. It is quite a pretty bracelet. Bought it as vintage or antique, can't remember which.

I plan on selling these, had from the beginning but I am not sure what kind of money to put on them. I was going to put keishi (one of my loves) on the bracelet and string the River Pearls as a strand but not sure now. Might sell better as a bracelet.

Posting some photos I took before of it. Will take close up of pearls later. Will post one of the Canadian River Pearls? too. This strand is app. 7.1/2" and the pearls are bigger, app 7 mm.

Tried to post all this hours ago but phone lines again. I will take some real close ups of just the pearls rather than the bracelet itself.

Bodecia - still sweating

 

[Bodecia]

Some close ups of the pearls on the 4 strand bracelet.

Bodecia

 

[Caitlin]

I noticed the unstrung one for the first time. What makes you sure it is Canadian river pearls? The pearls on that stand seem much more Chinese.

I wonder if they could possibly be a mix? Unless there is some new Canadian freshwater pearl hunting grounds, I would think old pearls would be made into jewelry, not on a hank like that. I don't really know, but that is what I think.

I was talking to a pearl expert yesterday who was the second person to tell me there is a growing number of fake river pearls and indeed, when I searched for river pearls on eBay, 2 or 3 Chinese cultured freshwaters showed up being called "river pearls".

Sarah also mentioned the growing number of fake river pearls she has noticed. Including myself, that is three sources noticing this alarming new trend.

In the examples you posted of the bracelets, the pearls have a distinctively different look than Chinese cultured freshwaters. Different shapes. I saw many like the unstrung one at US Pearl, being claimed as Chinese. they are still beautiful with great luster, but I am not sure they are natural river pearls.

US Pearl was the place the board of 110 "American" freshwaters was seen by Blaire, Pattye and myself at the Tucson Gem show and we were all told they are Chinese cultured. But then someone tried to get them sold as American river pearls.

I think American Freshwaters are too rare to show up like that, on a loose strand. I think old jewelry is going to remain the best source for authentic river pearls.

This post contains speculation, I have no way of truly knowing which freshwaters are American and which are Chinese cultured, except for the way they look.

 

[Valeria101]

The pearls in the loose strand look different then the ones in the bracelet big time. Wouldn't mix them...


I recognize the look (compressed barrel shapes, transparent wrinkly nacre - nothing like modern freshwater or keshi and distinct from the higher priced roundish Pinctada natural pearls) from old jewelry, but... are you folks convinced that the pearls in the bracelet are freshwater?

 

[Caitlin]

I know they have a way to tell freshwater pearls from saltwater, but how do you tell Chinese cultured from American natural freshwaters? Jeremy?

 

[Bodecia]

Valeria101

The pearls in the loose strand look different then the ones in the bracelet big time. Wouldn't mix them...


I recognize the look (compressed barrel shapes, transparent wrinkly nacre - nothing like modern freshwater or keshi and distinct from the higher priced roundish Pinctada natural pearls) from old jewelry, but... are you folks convinced that the pearls in the bracelet are freshwater?

Hi Valeria101,

That is a good point. I took them for naturals and just presumed them to be American River pearls because of that and the look of them. I never thought or considered that they might be saltwater pearls. Need someone with much more experience than me to know the difference. But they did strike me as much like the ones on the double strand posted way back ... I do have a photo of those but as they are not mine and not for sale I wouldn't want to post a photo without permission. Might ask if it is okay.

These don't look like any natural saltwater I have seen in rings or in photos online although some of them do resemble some tiny ones I have seen 1 or 2 mm that are in Victorian jewellery. Saying that I suppose they can grow all shapes and sizes and some do look like they have that extra lustre of say saltwater keishi or akoya for instance but not all by any means.

I would never mix the two types as they very different. Think you misunderstood that part. Actually there are quite a few that have a roundish top with a flatish bottom that would have looked good in a ring if not drilled. But I just don't know enough

Will answer the rest in Caitlin's post answer. Here is another photo of the end of the bracelet but it is blurred a bit. Need to get my best camer up and running or take photos in daylight I think.

Bodecia

 

[Bodecia]

Sorry, sent without photo. Here it is.

 

[Bodecia]

I noticed the unstrung one for the first time. What makes you sure it is Canadian river pearls? The pearls on that stand seem much more Chinese.

Hi Caitlin, From memory the seller said the were River Pearls but she was in Canada so I have not presumed to call them American River Pearls and just sort of hoped that they could be Canadian ones. One the post I listed pointing out a site with Mississipi River pearls went on it jogged my memory about the single strand I bought from Canada and then my 4 strand of Mississipipi pearls if that is what they are.

The seller on ebay that I bought them from wasn't getting much action on her site but I don't think it was because of dishonesty just lousy wording and photos. Sometimes I like a little gamble but only on pearls

I wonder if they could possibly be a mix? Unless there is some new Canadian freshwater pearl hunting grounds, I would think old pearls would be made into jewelry, not on a hank like that. I don't really know, but that is what I think.

I don't think so, unless it was done many moons ago accidently or because the person didn't have enough pearls to make the bracelet they wanted. I really have an eye and a feel for designer pieces with the tag Vintage or Antique on them. I understand why the designers do it. Vintage and Antique brings more money though is sometimes not as good as what a person has just made but lying is lying.

I was talking to a pearl expert yesterday who was the second person to tell me there is a growing number of fake river pearls and indeed, when I searched for river pearls on eBay, 2 or 3 Chinese cultured freshwaters showed up being called "river pearls".

Sarah also mentioned the growing number of fake river pearls she has noticed. Including myself, that is three sources noticing this alarming new trend.

This seller really wasn't pushing them as the big deal of River Pearls and I got the feeling that to her they were just pearls someone had plucked out of a river relatively recently. No mention of having any age to them. So if they are River Pearls they are recently found. But as that bloke a while back was talking about all the pearls he was finding in Canada (on the forum) I didn't think it totally unlikely. She (the seller) wasn't Chinese based or selling from Canada. It doesn't take long to pick up on that.

In the examples you posted of the bracelets, the pearls have a distinctively different look than Chinese cultured freshwaters. Different shapes. I saw many like the unstrung one at US Pearl, being claimed as Chinese. they are still beautiful with great luster, but I am not sure they are natural river pearls.

I am not totally sure either. but they have a number of the type of imperfections I have not seen in Chinese FW pearls. I have bought a lot of pearls from a lot of different places and these do not look like any of my others. Just not same. I will get my better camera going (or try to) and get some decent photos. I do realise they have a similiar look and they are really quite lustrous but there is something about them that I cannot put into words they says they are just different.

I think American Freshwaters are too rare to show up like that, on a loose strand. I think old jewelry is going to remain the best source for authentic river pearls.

I do agree for the most part but surely not the ones that are found in rivers, streams and lakes today in Canada or even America. Not everyone is as pearl crazy as we all are and many people think FW pearls are worthless. Still, even these days, I know it is crazy but that is what people think. A few years ago I thought the same, if it didn't come from the sea it wasn't worth much at all, regardless of where it did come from and what it really was. The history etc.

I think the only way to know for sure was if I posted them to America because I doubt that many if any in Australia would specialise in American River Pearls or Canadian River Pearls. Specialists in pearls would go for the SS pearls. That just my opinion but I think if I sent them to anyone it should be someone in America. Not so much the one loose strand but the Bracelet. But send one, send both I guess unless an expert can say a definate no to the loose strand and a "I would like an in person view of the bracelet".

Bodecia

 

[Caitlin]

I'd enjoy more pictures of the bigger pearls.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Caitlin,

Will post more photos as soon as I can take some decent ones. Still having camera problems. I take it you mean for me to post photos of the loose strand from Canada. Yes?

Bodecia

 

[Bodecia]

Closer look at River Pearls if that is what they are. These should give you a better look until I can take better photos.

Bodecia

 

[pattye]

Hi Bodecia and All,

Here is my double strand of "Mississippi naturals" I strung on fine wire and washed as recommended in liquid castile soap. I need to contact appraiser and send off. The white pearl in the middle is just a marker to divide the 2 strands. I do think it looks very similar to your bracelet, Bodecia.



Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Pattye
I think those pearls have the WOW factor. I love their little shapes and they are fairly distinctive from CFWP. I am very interested in this kind of pearls now.

Where/when did you get them? Are you going to post info on the appraisal? (Or email me details?)

Suddenly, they are coming out of the woodwork, but the pros say there is a trend in calling CFWP "river pearls", so I am glad to see yours and Bo's pictures going up. And the pics from eBay.

I believe all of them except the big ones Bo has are absolutely genuine. I think those big ones look like baroques with little knobs we saw at US Pearl. But I am not positive.
Please tell us how the appraiser distinguishes between American river pearls and cfwp........if s/he can......