Quick Mikimoto question

evinz

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Feb 15, 2024
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Did Mikimoto ever spell out the full name as a mark? I'm looking at a brooch in sterling silver, pearls look high-quality and the back is signed "K Mikimoto Tokyo" and then there are the M and S marks. But I haven't seen it spelled out like that before and other brooches just have the M and S. Thank you so much!
 
It's not letting me save the images so I'll just give you the listing:
 
I don't know the answer to your question but that listing's pictures scream fake to me — the craftsmanship, the pearls, the metal component's design. I mean it has to look at least like this one to dare to claim itself Mikimoto, right?
 
I don't know either but according to an Australian antique jewellery website, K. Mikimoto Tokyo was an early mark. Here is the link https://emprades.com.au/blog/identifying-vintage-mikimoto-pearl-jewellery/

My concerns are more that the name has been applied rather than impressed and I wonder why because there appears to be sufficient room on the design to impress the name. Additionally, I note that this ebay site has 101 Mikomoto items for sale, a lot of which I haven't seen before and some of the designs just appear a bit clumsy.
 
Thank you for the reference, Pella. This clasp looks like it has the rounded lock and hinge. It appears Mikimoto created quite a few circle brooches.
I feel this piece is probably authentic. The seller does have a 2 week return policy.
Evinz, in person you'd find it easy to tell if the signature is impressed properly. The pearl cross on the site has the same signature.
 
You guys are always so helpful, thank you very much! Does anyone else prefer the brooch that StarryPearl mentioned in post #5?

I fear I am in over my head, I suspect I bought a fake Miki pendant already (pearls arranged in a circle, but the craftsmanship is not good). I also picked up a pair of Mikimoto earrings secondhand (4 tiny pearls arranged in a square, set in sterling silver) that took my breath away when I saw them in person, and I have never doubted that they are real. I think they are probably fakes if they don't do that.

Anyway, I kind of haunt the eBay listings, but with rapidly increasing skepticism after the non-returnable pendant incident. I may go with StarryPearl's brooch because there seems to be less of a question about its authenticity. (I want to stay with a sterling silver setting.)

Thanks again 🩷
 
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You guys are always so helpful, thank you very much! Does anyone else prefer the brooch that StarryPearl mentioned in post #5?

I fear I am in over my head, I suspect I bought a fake Miki pendant already (pearls arranged in a circle, but the craftsmanship is not good). I also picked up a pair of Mikimoto earrings secondhand (4 tiny pearls arranged in a square, set in sterling silver) that took my breath away when I saw them in person, and I have never doubted that they are real. I think they are probably fakes if they don't do that.

Anyway, I kind of haunt the eBay listings, but with rapidly increasing skepticism after the non-returnable pendant incident. I may go with StarryPearl's brooch because there seems to be less of a question about its authenticity. (I want to stay with a sterling silver setting and not make the price jump to gold, am on a strict budget which is why I'm on eBay in the first place.) Thanks again 🩷
Glad you think that one looks better, too. I by no means meant that one was authentic though, I was just using it as a comparison to show how clumsy the other one was. Would you like to share the pics of the pendant and earrings with us?
 
Taken just now in indirect sunlight. Apologies for my crummy iPhone XR camera, i honestly can't get the images sharper than this.

Anyway, I am dumb, the more I look at this pendant. Also I don't know how to tell stamped from impressed from applied (any advice?) but I can tell whether the mark looks correct or not. The M and S are correct on the earrings, but the M just looks wrong somehow on the pendant (too small, for starters, and too deeply stamped, if stamped is what I mean)

Edit: fixed formatting, added phrase

) IMG_8584.jpegIMG_8582.jpegIMG_8586.jpegIMG_8589.jpegIMG_8588.jpeg
 
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My concern with the brooch is that the seller is in NY, yet seems to have a huge amount of Mikimoto.... Yet not in Japan...seems weird. That particular pin back is from the 1930's so not actually antique. The Pendant & earrings look much better! But pendants & earrings can be "matched" after that fact. Boxes reused. If the pearls don't "sing" to you return & wait. The pearls for you will come to you!
 
Actually I love love the earrings (they were sold separately, I just matched them in the photo for comparison purposes). I didn't capture their luster in the photos.

The pendant I am quite sure is fake because you can see gold between the pearls and the gaps are uneven to boot. I think the pearls fill the whole circle in the real Miki design.

The good brooch in this thread sold to someone else! I'm not buying the other one, too many red flags, you guys are right. Think I have to stop expecting to find a vintage treasure on eBay and just stick to trusted vendors like takahashi and PP :)
 
There are some treasures on eBay...but the $ does not make authentic! If you can spot akoyas in photos, you can get lovely pearls. But for you to be really happy....stick with people who know!!! Get something that sings to you!
 
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