Vintage brooch - possible Scottish river pearls?

LisaDee

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Hi there! I have a brooch that was my Grandma's that I am looking for some help with please! I have seen similar styles that are Scottish river pearls and am wondering (or should I say hoping) if that could be true for mine? There is no hallmark but I believe it's silver. I will be looking to sell so any advice on the brooch would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!
 

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Looks like it. River pearls are also found in the US...mostly Mississippi. The clasp close up would be better to tell if it was US or Scottish. Looks old enough to be Victorian...maybe?
 
If it was British or Scottish, the silver would have hallmarks. My mother had a book of British silver hallmarks, but I can't find it. American silver didn't always have hallmarks. I remember our house was robbed when we lived in England, and the thieves didn't take any of the American sterling silver, because it was marked Sterling and it didn't have hallmarks. I think your piece may be American river pearls, maybe.
 
Hi there. I'm in the UK. My Grandma never travelled to America but did have quite a few Scottish brooches in her collection. Is there any value to the brooch at all? Thanks for taking the time to reply!
If it was British or Scottish, the silver would have hallmarks. My mother had a book of British silver hallmarks, but I can't find it. American silver didn't always have hallmarks. I remember our house was robbed when we lived in England, and the thieves didn't take any of the American sterling silver, because it was marked Sterling and it didn't have hallmarks. I think your piece may be American river pearls, maybe.
Hi there. I'm in the UK. My Grandma never travelled to America but did have quite a few Scottish brooches in her collection. Is there any value to the brooch at all? Thanks for taking the time to reply!
 
Looks like it. River pearls are also found in the US...mostly Mississippi. The clasp close up would be better to tell if it was US or Scottish. Looks old enough to be Victorian...maybe?
Hi there. I'm in the UK. My Grandma never travelled to America but did have quite a few Scottish brooches in her collection. Is there any value to the brooch at all? Thanks for taking the time to reply!
 
Hi there. I'm in the UK. My Grandma never travelled to America but did have quite a few Scottish brooches in her collection. Is there any value to the brooch at all? Thanks for taking the time to reply!

Hi there. I'm in the UK. My Grandma never travelled to America but did have quite a few Scottish brooches in her collection. Is there any value to the brooch at all? Thanks for taking the time to reply!
Ah, okay. If you're in the UK, then it's possible they are Scottish river pearls. Really the only way to be sure is to send them to a lab to be tested.
 
Hi there. I'm in the UK. My Grandma never travelled to America but did have quite a few Scottish brooches in her collection. Is there any value to the brooch at all? Thanks for taking the time to reply!
Value is hard....because styles come & go. Brooches were really hot several years ago. Pearls are hot now...but not brooches. What may be worth $200 today or 2 years ago, might be worth $50 in 2 years. (Yes, this is crazy, but true. A family hutch went from $5000 down to $50 in 10 years). The best suggestion for current value is to look up on eBay solds. But remember that keeping a family heirloom might be worth it. Here in the US...pearl bar brooches are around $50 US. The bars are harder to wear... I am going to try to figure out if I can get them to be pendants without them flipping over... I just posted pearl brooches as pendants in a thread...but bar brooches tend to flip if used as connectors...so maybe pendants?
 
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