Old Phonies

[glitterata]

I know we''re not supposed to discuss fakes here, but I sort of collect antique imitation diamonds, mostly over 100 years old, and I thought it would be fun to have a thread discussing the history of what people used to imitate diamonds. I''m hoping the moderators will consider this educational and interesting enough to allow. And I''m hoping other people will post their antique diamondlike jewelry too.

My first picture shows rose-cut diamonds along with some materials used to imitate them in the late 19th to early 20th century (along with a penny to show scale).

In the middle row, third from the left, is a monogram made of platinum set with tiny rose-cut diamonds. That''s the look the rest are imitating.

The bracelet at the top is set with what the jewelry trade calls marcasites (improperly, according to Wikipedia). These are the opaque iron-based mineral pyrite. They were very popular during the early 20th century, particularly associated with the art deco style.

The bracelet at the bottom is earlier, probably the 1880s or so. It''s also set with pyrite, but in its natural form of tiny druzy crystals.

In the middle, from left to right, are the penny; another pyrite druzy piece, a late-19th or early-20th century man''s watch fob; the platinum-set rose-cut diamonds; and a button made of cut steel, a form of steel invented in the 17th (???) century or earlier? I''m not sure, but it was common throughout the 18th and 19th century, used to imitate the sparkle of rose-cut diamonds.

 

[glitterata]

A closer view of the pyrite fob next to the real diamonds. You can see that the diamonds are set as a monogram.

 

[glitterata]

And a closer view of the bracelets, the diamonds, and the cut steel.

 

[glitterata]

Now some imitations of non-rose-cut diamonds.

First a pair of earrings from the 1890s-1910s. I''m showing the front of one and the back of the other. They''re set in unmarked gold, but I''m pretty sure it''s solid, maybe 14K. The earring wires they''re hanging about are new & gold-filled. I think the stones are probably glass with some lead content, but I''m not sure. Perhaps experts can chime in? They''re quite colorful and prismatic.

 

[glitterata]

Closeup of a paste stone from that pair of earrings:

 

[Lorelei]

Your collection is incredible Glitterata, and I am very interested to see it, thank you so much for posting these pics of your gorgeous jewels!

 

[glitterata]

Going back in time, three pins from the early to mid 19th century, set with what I think is old-mine-cut leaded glass paste. Two of them may be "comet pins," made after the appearance of Halley''s Comet in 1839. I believe those two are solid gold, maybe 9K or 14K. The hand-shaped pin is a gold-filled and enamelled.

 

[glitterata]

Another shot:

 

[glitterata]

Back view. I forgot to say, these pins are teeny tiny, about an inch long.

 

[glitterata]

Profile of one of the pins:

 

[glitterata]

Profile of the hand pin:

 

[glitterata]

Going back in time again, this is one of my oldest pieces of jewelry, from the late 18th or perhaps early 19th century. It''s called "black dot paste." Some of the little glass rhinestones have a dot painted on the back, to imitate a diamond''s culet, as you can see along the right-hand side of this photo. The "diamonds" are set in silver, the "citrine" in gold. This pin is in pretty rough shape--I found it at a flea market in a big box of yucky 20th-century single rhinestone earrings. The clasp was gone and the pin had been bent so you could wear it as an earring.

 

[glitterata]

Here it is in the sunlight.

 

[glitterata]

Back view. You can see the silver that the "diamonds" are set in around the edge, with rose gold in the back. I had a jeweler replace the c-clasp and straighten the pin.

 

[glitterata]

Does anyone else have any to add? Jewelerman? Erica? Anyone?

 

[mercoledi]

I don''t have any pieces to share, but I love learning about yours! Thank so much for sharing and indexing your collection. The dot-paste concept is really neat, how to fake on oec without really trying. I have a few costume pieces, but nothing that''s gallery quality.

The hand pin is also intriguing, though the stone is clearly a steep/deep

 

[2Artists]

I don''t have anything great to add except to thank you because it feels like I am at a jewelry exhibit at a museum. These are a delight to look at. Very educational and well done.

Mrs.2Artists

 

[angel_nieves]

Wow I love your collection!!!!!

 

[glitterata]

Nobody has other old phonies to show? Awwww....

Okay, here''s one more from my own collection. This is a cut steel piece from the 1890s-1900s, probably. It was originally a hair ornament and would have been mounted on a comb with the points up, as shown here. By the time I bought it the comb was long gone and someone had added chains to make it into a necklace, worn with the points down.

I shot it with the real rose-cut diamond piece for contrast.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Glitterata, you have a wonderful collection! I love looking at these old pieces, they are so beautiful!

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 9/5/2008 1:40:33 PM
Author: glitterata
Does anyone else have any to add? Jewelerman? Erica? Anyone?

Glitterata,
There is so much to say after seeing this post!Yourcollection is so much better then you give yourself credit!I am going to be looking at the pieces in this post alot...i knew that there was Haileys Comet pins but have never seen any examples...you have never posted pieces that are boring...every one a real learning experiance for the jewelry addicted.You have a great eye and i want to hear the stories behind the pieces and how you found them(or how they found you!)Seriously you could write a book on collecting the best funky jewelry.After seeing these pieces i really want something new(or should i say...old).

 

[glitterata]

Thank you for the kind words, everyone.

Jewelerman--I want to see YOUR collection! Won't you post some pictures? Pretty please?

As for where I found all these items: flea markets and ebay. No exciting stories there, I'm afraid, unless you count finding the Georgian black-dot paste pin in the $1 single earring bucket, or finding the gold and paste earrings (minus the wires, which I added) in the same flea-market seller's loose findings bin for $5. I told him to charge me more for them, but he just laughed and waved me away.

I'm not 100% sure the Halley's Comet pins really are Halley's Comet pins. They might be. One of them was sold to me as one. But it's easy to call anything that has a head and a tail a comet pin, and lots of pins have heads and tails.

Perhaps I'll start another thread on Halley's Comet pins. I have two or three other pins that might (or might not) be Halley's Comet pins too.

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 9/6/2008 12:35:38 AM
Author: glitterata
Thank you for the kind words, everyone.

Jewelerman--I want to see YOUR collection! Won''t you post some pictures? Pretty please?

As for where I found all these items: flea markets and ebay. No exciting stories there, I''m afraid, unless you count finding the Georgian black-dot paste pin in the $1 single earring bucket, or finding the gold and paste earrings (minus the wires, which I added) in the same flea-market seller''s loose findings bin for $5. I told him to charge me more for them, but he just laughed and waved me away.

I''m not 100% sure the Halley''s Comet pins really are Halley''s Comet pins. They might be. One of them was sold to me as one. But it''s easy to call anything that has a head and a tail a comet pin, and lots of pins have heads and tails.

Perhaps I''ll start another thread on Halley''s Comet pins. I have two or three other pins that might (or might not) be Halley''s Comet pins too.

Glitterata,
I will post pics...when i learn...just recieved a digital camera as a grad gift from college a year ago(the second time in college)and will finally find someone to show me...i hope you are not dissapointed as my old pieces arnt as interesting or fun as yours...and many of my pieces have gone the way of the un-employed (as you may have read in a few of my recent posts)I sold many of my old american indian pieces and recently some old gold,colored stone and diamond pieces...but when i post i think i will start with my favorite old jade pieces(one green and one white)...and that 1880s old rose gold and carved onxy fob just for you.I really do miss my 1950s old navajo pieces but I know the family who bought them and they are appreciated at their new home....you make my day when you post your pieces...send more so i wont be tempted to buy any new pieces!

 

[Ellen]

glitter, you have such a great collection! I especially love that hand pin.

And I love the "black dot paste* concept, interesting! This is a great thread, and can be very educational glitter (thank you Andrey and Ali!). I have learned so much this week about older jewelry from you and jewelerman, thank you both!

We have many antique shops downtown, I may have to give them a stroll once I've acquired enough knowledge!

A "diamond" ring that was my mother's great aunts.

And the link to discovering it was not real.

 

[glitterata]

Thank you, Ellen! I love that ring.

 

[innerkitten]

You have a great collection of antique pieces real and costume. Whats interesting to me is how well made some of the fakes were back then. My mother has a beautiful art deco bracelet that I''m tempted to post here with blue stones that I believe are paste.

 

[glitterata]

Please do post it, Innerkitten! I bet it''s gorgeous.

I bet it''s the same as today--there''s a vast range of quality in the imitations. I have cheapo antique faux that don''t look nearly as good, too.

 

[loriken214]

AWESOME....I love these vintage pieces....more, please!!!

Lori

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 9/5/2008 1:20:49 PM
Author: glitterata
Now some imitations of non-rose-cut diamonds.


First a pair of earrings from the 1890s-1910s. I'm showing the front of one and the back of the other. They're set in unmarked gold, but I'm pretty sure it's solid, maybe 14K. The earring wires they're hanging about are new & gold-filled. I think the stones are probably glass with some lead content, but I'm not sure. Perhaps experts can chime in? They're quite colorful and prismatic.

Glitterata, you have such an amazing collection! I love looking at your pieces.

I'm wondering if the stones in these earrings could be synthetic colorless sapphire. They look like they have a good polish. Can you see any doubling at the facet junctions? That would indicate that they are synthetic sapphire. If you don't see doubling, they could also be synthetic spinel. The polish is what makes me think they are a harder substance than glass. How does the polish look in person? Synthetic corundum and synthetic spinel both have high refractive indexes and high hardness which is what gives them that great polish.

In any case, they are lovely pieces, and I'm so glad you shared them! (Wish I could take them to school and test them for you.)

Ellen, I love that ring!

 

[glitterata]

Thank you, Coatimundi!

Where are you in school? If it''s NYC, you CAN take them to school and test them for me!

I don''t see any doubling, though I''m not absolutely sure I would know it if I did. But I do see a certain amount of abrasion at the edges, and I don''t know how great the polish is. I see some (parallel) lines in the surfaces of the faces.

Is the period right for synthetic spinel or synthetic sapphire? I''m pretty certain these earrings are pre-World War I, probably the 1900s.

I have a new pair of old phony earrings that I''ll try to post soon.