Genuine Biwa Pearls With Tags

[pattye]

Found this interesting listing this morning. Jack has emailed that these are stock from the 80's. Note the great luster! We seldom get to see the real Biwa pearls like this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-loose-strand-Schoeffel-Genuine-Japan-freshwater-Biwa-cultured-pearl-side-drill-/130701351071?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e6e68589f

 

[Caitlin]

Great luster. Good price too.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Oh why oh why did I have to have imsomnia on this night and to read this post! Sigh.

The battle within wages.

 

[Caitlin]

Me too. I simply can't buy any more with Buyitnow and get it paid off in time. But I love pearls with w luster like that!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Sigh. I bit.

 

[Caitlin]

Maybe I can get about 4 from you on Etsy?

 

[pattye]

Oh, MY! That was not really my intention, Adeline! You were just supposed to LOOK!

 

[Caitlin]

uhhhh, did you want them?

 

[pattye]

No no, I have no budget for these, pretty as they are! So I am very glad someone who appreciates them for what they are will have them. And we can have some permanent photos of Biwa pearls for the record, if Adeline will put up some of her excellent photography here! I have some of the Rice Krispie Biwas, bought a few years back.

 

[Amanda]

Oh, MY! That was not really my intention, Adeline! You were just supposed to LOOK!

We're a Bad Influence on each other.........

 

[Adeline Leigh]

HAH! We all are, a bad influence, that is but I wouldnt have it any other way, Amanda, Pattye and Caitlin, and I do love this community. Yes, pictures for sure, and I believe pearls are on their way

 

[Adeline Leigh]

These arrived when I was out of town and I finally took the pictures, Caitlin and Pattye!

Here are the 'vintage' (vintage in my book; I was a kid with my nose in Enid Blytons in the 80s) biwas from Jack. I bought 2 strands of Schoeffel Cultured Pearls 16" of cream ivory 4-4.5mm plump and lustrous genuine Biwas. And they are every bit as fabulous as in their ebay listing; I am so chuffed to finally own some.

For those who are interested, the tags read"Biwa 1712-022050 16" and someone has also handwritten "Day" on both tags. ("Day pearls?" Lol. A wild guess, anyone?)
These I assume originate from Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture in Honshu, Japan. Un-nucleated pearl babies.

I have tried to picture them with similar hued freshwater pearls and my observations are that the Chinese freshwater poppy seed pearls these days can really give the vintage Biwas a run for their money. See if you agree.

 

[pattye]

Nice score~Adeline! I do feel the luster on the Biwas is slightly better than the small freshies. The Biwas would be tissue nucleated, rather than un-nucleated. I wonder if the Japanese were bleaching these white pearls then?

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Thanks, Pattye for the correction. Yes, tissue, not un-nucleated! Shame on me.

The biwas are most certainly in a class of their own, I am completely delighted to own them. May I add that Jack still has some Biwas for sale:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flat-Biwa-f...fted_Artisan_Jewelry&var=&hash=item6422055093

But can I say it again, I just cannot help but marvel at how good the Chinese producers are at what they do these days.

 

[lisa c]

Sigh. I bit.

. BUTNow that you have, may we see an inch-by-inch photo array?

Oops! I see them now, thanks!

 

[Katbran]

You are right Adeline, they are really nice little Biwas! I had a look at the site but it says he doen't ship to Australia - did he ship to you in Singapore?

 

[Adeline Leigh]

hey kat, he shipped it to oregon where i send all my US buys to. it gets forwarded then on to singapore.

i used to use http://www.myus.com/ to forward my US stuff on to melbourne. lots of savings abound even after the shipping's factored in

gd luck!