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Help! Have Little History, Hallmark and Pics.

VapidLapid

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
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A dear friend of mine has this ring and earrings inherited from her grandmother. Her grandmother was given them in the 1930s by grandfather. They lived in St Petersberg. The hallmark is hammer and sickle inside a star. Gold is 14 kt. The stones are gorgeous and glow more strongly in sunlight; could the be real, and if so what? Can anyone here help identify the hallmark?

stpetering.jpg

stpeteear.jpg

stpeteearring.jpg

stpeteeardetail.jpg
 


stpetehallmarkinsitu.jpg

stpetehallmark.jpg
 
Vapid,

I found this info googling hammer and cycle in a star:

Russian and Soviet Gold Hallmarks

Hallmark representing the government inspection stamp changed through the years, while the gold purity hallmarks remained nearly the same up until the collapse of the USSR. From 1927 to 1959 the government inspection hallmark was a male (worker's) head with a hat, under which was a hammer (this mark would then have a mark like "583" next to it). From 1959 to 1992 the government inspection hallmark changed to a five-point star with the hammer and sickle inside it. Using this information a collector can quickly determine the age of an item and thus its likely rarity – usually the older an item is the better.
 
Let's get JewelFreak and Circe on this stat! I bet they'll know. Also, you might try in Antique and Vintage Jewelry. In any case that red is perfect, mindblowing red. Truly gorgeous.
 
Soviet 14K: is it 583 or 585?

"583" was the most commonly-used type of gold in the Soviet Union, while "585" or 14-karat is most common today. The switch from "583" to "585" was implemented after the Soviet Union collapsed and thus almost no catalogues or books speak of a Soviet "585" hallmark. But there was in fact Soviet jewelry marked with a "585" hallmark (remember this hallmark since it is very rare). Two types of Soviet "585" hallmarks exist, one official – a sailing ship stamped next to the "585" mark, intended for export only, starting from 1989 – and the second unexplained – the Soviet star with hammer and sickle and "585" mark next to it. There is little information on this latter type. One theory is that right after the collapse of the USSR, from 1989 to 1991, chaos in the government structure led to a mix-up in jewelry-making regulations and some manufacturers began using the "585" hallmark. The official order to use the new hallmarks in Russia was made by Boris Yeltsin on October 2, 1992, and was implemented by the end of 1993, at which time the Soviet star was changed to a woman's head and gold purity was as follows: "375", "500", "585", "750". This means that up until 1992 there was no official order to use the "585" hallmark for the internal market of the USSR (the "585" gold in 1989, remember, was for export only).
 
Pretty pieces, VL. Catmom pretty much summed up what info there is on these hallmarks. They are 14K. The only mystery is the star-hammer-&-sickle. According to that article, it wasn't used until 1959, which makes the 1930s gift date unlikely. Is she sure it wasn't the 60s? Could the stones have been re-set after '59? (The same assay mark was used on silver.)

There is a mark or 2 to the left of the assay mark that is not clear. Can you describe it? If we know what it is, it should indicate the city & date of manufacture. If you can get a look at it & let me know, or get a clearer photo, that should be a help.

--- Laurie
 
I think it would be worth it to hoof it up to 47th and 5th and take it to AGL. For $60 they'll tell you if it's real. If it's fake, they'll probably call and tell you it's fake and you won't pay a penny. Take the F train, it's my favorite. :bigsmile:
 
iLander|1394745927|3633483 said:
For $60 they'll tell you if it's real. If it's fake, they'll probably call and tell you it's fake and you won't pay a penny.

Huh, I never knew you don't pay if it turns out to be fake.
 
Whatever they might be, the earrings are gorgeous. Since the stones are set, AGL's fee will be $75 if the stones are under 3 ct each.
 
Worth the expense, I'd think, just for curiosity's sake. They are very pretty anyhow.

VL -- if you can get a better photo or describe the other hallmark, I'd love to try to find the maker and/or date.

--- Laurie
 
Hi, I'm sorry but I'm new and don't know how to post a question on this site!

I recently acquired an antique 18K gold necklace at an estate sale . The owner had many Georg Jensen pieces but this was not identified as one because of the unusual hallmark. Could anyone tell me how to get more information on the hallmark or maker? I reproduced the hallmark in a sketch below. It is also marked 18K 750
Necklace 9.20.19.jpg Necklace GJ halmark.jpg

I bought it because of it's beauty but it would be nice to know its maker, especially if it was someone well known. Thanks for any help!
 
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