PenelopaPeirce912
Behold that gorgeous antique brooch you have been looking at during the last couple of days on the internet! It's obviously Art Nouveau... isn't it?
It's often tough to distinguish from a genuine antique jewellery piece along with a good reproduction. Here are a few tips that you ought to bear in mind before you decide to shop and pay for what you think is a Victorian bit of jewellery only to discover that it is clever reproduction.
Having the ability to find out the findings which are connected to the jewellery for function rather than design is sometimes a great way to determine age, although findings can often happen to be altered at a later date. A few examples of "findings" are the hinges, clasps and catches on the piece. The Victorian era featured tube hinges until a more streamlined design was introduced in the later part of the era. Other types of hinges such as roll over, C shaped and safety pin types evolved through the years. A lobster catch will not be on a bit of authentic antique jewellery.
The colours and metals changed in style through the years. The art deco period featured bright primary colours as the Victorian times didn't. Being able to identify the cut from the stone and also the kind of stone in the piece will even help in dating the piece. Modern brilliant cut diamonds, for instance, were not introduced to the marketplace before the early 20th century.
Aluminium, platinum, pot metal and copper happen to be the popular metals in the Twentieth century. White gold or platinum for example, although first introduced at the turn of the 1900s, wasn't in wide circulation until about 1920 if this was utilized like a cheaper option to platinum. As the second example, 15 carat gold was a British Empire gold standard until it had been discontinued in 1932 and it was widely used in Victorian jewellery.
But often in Victorian times there was more emphasis on the workmanship and beauty of the item than you are on the caliber of materials used. Pinchbeck for instance, an alloy of zinc and copper, was a respectable option to gold in the Victorian era but is often available at the cheaper end from the market today when a lot importance is positioned on jewellery being made of gold or platinum.
Feeling the load of the piece will also help identify wear and tear but, if you are buying online, ask the vendor just how much it weighs. A brooch in the Victorian times can look a lot heavier than one which was reproduced in recent years but often a large piece is made reasonably light in order that it didn't pull on the wearer's clothing. Check also to see if jewels are glued in and when the piece is made by hand or the product of the mould.
A registration mark on the piece will give you a precise time frame as will hallmarks. A makers mark or label is yet another step in identification. There are plenty of guides and forums available on the web to assist identify hallmarks.
