Cherry amber necklace
04 September 2018
Description

THE NECKLACE CONSISTS OF 17 GRADUATED BEADS THE CENTER BEAD IS APPROX. 39 MM WIDE X 30.38 MM IT IS APPROXIMATELY 20 1/2 " LONG WEIGHS: 213 GRAMS ON MY SCALE.IT HAS A BRASS SCREW INSERT

Provenance

Estate find

Acquired from
Auction House
For sale
Maybe
Answered within about 3 hours
By Klaus
Sep 04, 19:24 UTC
Fair Market Value
$150 - $300 USD
Insurance Value $0 USD
What does this mean?

Thank you for submitting your item for appraisal. This appears to be an amber imitation necklace consisting of synthetic thermosetting resin beads, most likely phenolic resin. There are air bubbles within the beads and on the surface, which clearly shows that these beads were cast in a mold. The invention of the material dates back to the 1910s. The necklace in your possession might date back to the Art Deco era. The estimate is based on recent auction results of similar necklaces sold at auction.

Bambi chick Sep 04, 20:05 UTC

Hell Klaus, this is inaccurate info. I have taken this to two gemologists. they both confirmed it is amber. Also one of them did a refractive Index test and it is 1.55 of which is on the amber range of 1.539-1.545

Bambi chick Sep 04, 20:07 UTC

PS. there are no air bubbles in the beads. those are black dots on the surface of a couple of the beads. and there is caream flash reflections on them.

Klaus Sep 05, 11:24 UTC

The four little dents in the bead which is lit up from below, two air bubbles inside within the same bead visible in another photo. kind regards

Bambi chick Sep 05, 11:50 UTC

Klaus, are you saying this is bakelite? It does not test positive with simichrome.In addition, I put the end of the beads in a cup with acetone and let it soak for a minute, the acetone did not affect the bead at all. did you read my comments?, this is inaccurate info. I have taken this to two gemologists. they both confirmed it is amber. Also one of them did a refractive Index test and it is 1.55 of which is on the amber range of 1.539-1.545

Klaus Sep 06, 05:44 UTC

Please read the most interesting article :IMITATION AMBER BEADS OF PHENOLIC RESIN FROM THE AFRICAN TRADE by Rosanna Falabella

Bambi chick Sep 07, 15:27 UTC

thank you for the Info Klaus. do you feel this is bakelite? It does not test positive with simichrome or 409

Klaus Sep 10, 16:30 UTC

To my eyes it is phenolic resin ( which is similar to bakelite).

Bambi chick Sep 10, 16:43 UTC

thank you

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