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Question: loose semi-precious stones
My mother and I went through a number of boxes from the attic in her old house this weekend. Mostly my old books, most of which I hauled to Half-Price Books[1], but some of my dad's stuff.
My dad was an amateur jeweler for a decade or so, and we have a few old rings and a couple of pendants that he made that I might attempt to sell soon[2], since Mom and I have already taken whatever pieces we wanted. I also have two small boxes filled with semi-precious (very very semi, in most cases) stones, one box cabochons and one faceted, that are just sitting there which I need to figure out a way to dispose of. Preferably for money, although I know I wouldn't get much - a small stone that sold for $1.25 in 1980 isn't going to appreciate a serious amount. :)
So - is anyone here a jeweler/crafter/creator of some sort or know of any who would consider buying some of these? They're mostly very small. I can get photos up once Mom mails my camera back, as I managed to forget it at her place.
There's three much nicer stones that I may well just get appraised and keep them, since Mom suggested perhaps getting a pendant made for at least one. There's a teardrop faceted amethyst (which retailed for $26 about 1980 or so XD), a small faceted stone with no ID whatsoever, but it's kept in a separate box like the amethyst is, and a light blue topaz that has a $289 price tag. I especially want to keep that one, as I remember being complicit in its purchase - Dad bought it at a gem store in the old Olla Podria mall in Dallas during the late 70s or early 80s, and told me to Don't Tell Your Mother I Bought This. I told her that on Saturday, and we laughed ourselves silly. :)
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[1] 12 boxes full. I kept 3 boxes' worth. :D
[2] Very simple bezels - Dad was all intonot bothering with elaborate work showing the natural beauty of the stone, so you'd basically end up with a polished agate or other cabochon set into a simple silver band. If that sounds good, I may have the ring for you!
My dad was an amateur jeweler for a decade or so, and we have a few old rings and a couple of pendants that he made that I might attempt to sell soon[2], since Mom and I have already taken whatever pieces we wanted. I also have two small boxes filled with semi-precious (very very semi, in most cases) stones, one box cabochons and one faceted, that are just sitting there which I need to figure out a way to dispose of. Preferably for money, although I know I wouldn't get much - a small stone that sold for $1.25 in 1980 isn't going to appreciate a serious amount. :)
So - is anyone here a jeweler/crafter/creator of some sort or know of any who would consider buying some of these? They're mostly very small. I can get photos up once Mom mails my camera back, as I managed to forget it at her place.
There's three much nicer stones that I may well just get appraised and keep them, since Mom suggested perhaps getting a pendant made for at least one. There's a teardrop faceted amethyst (which retailed for $26 about 1980 or so XD), a small faceted stone with no ID whatsoever, but it's kept in a separate box like the amethyst is, and a light blue topaz that has a $289 price tag. I especially want to keep that one, as I remember being complicit in its purchase - Dad bought it at a gem store in the old Olla Podria mall in Dallas during the late 70s or early 80s, and told me to Don't Tell Your Mother I Bought This. I told her that on Saturday, and we laughed ourselves silly. :)
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[1] 12 boxes full. I kept 3 boxes' worth. :D
[2] Very simple bezels - Dad was all into
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(Hopefully I get the camera before the weekend - it'll take a while to get all of them. XD)
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(And if you can put up pictures, I might be able to help you identify the mystery stones, or at least maybe narrow down the likelier possibilities...)
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(I'll do so when I get the camera. Hopefully later this week. XD)
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I've seen a lot of jewelery-makers at cons; I'm sure someone would be interested in taking some old stock off your hands! This happens all the time, surely.
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I might have to ask around at the next con I attend. Thanks!
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I took those pics a few days ago, to send to my grandparents for ID. I'll go through the boxes when my camera gets here and post pics of the amber and any turquoise there might be.
* It was given to my grandmother by a jeweler she knew, and she unloaded it as fast as possible on Dad, who stuck it in a box. XD
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The ring you hate, OTOH, now take this with a grain of salt as I am not a trained gemologist and I'm just squinting at a .jpg on a tiny laptop screen, but...I make jewelry, I wear a ton of vintage family heirloom Indian silver and turquoise, grew up around the stuff, etc. -- and my gut impression on that one is it's potentially a lot less valuable. I'd still check the back for any maker's marks, but that general sort of design is something that I've seen done a lot in more tourist-grade jewelry, often mass-produced in Mexico, and the stone has a sort of waxiness to it that I associate with lower-grade turquoise that's been stabilized and/or color-enhanced.
(TURQUOISE IS SRS BIZNESS, etc.)
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I know who made the ring, provided they remember correctly - my grandfather said: "The ring was made for her by Oscar Lockstedt, a builder who built our house on Berkshire and whose wife was a wheel in the Victoria [Texas] Gem & Mineral Society. E. remembers that the shape of the ring was such that it was uncomfortable for her to wear." No maker's marks, however.
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There are also two round cabochons that might be amber. I'd have to do a hot-point test to see if they're amber or plastic, and they're so small, there's no really unobtrusive spot to do that, though. :/
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(If you have a particular affinity for small moonstones (one black!) or malachite, I believe I may be able to help. XD)no subject
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