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Messages - Lagomorph

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Looking for some help identifying this.
« on: August 19, 2012, 02:24:22 pm »
OK, got some news on this.

Went on the Antiques Roadshow yesterday in Seattle. It will be on the air in January. The zarfs were taped for the web site, while a Gold Pendant I have will be seen on TV, if they elect to air it.

They are Swiss made Turkish Coffee Zarfs (pronounced: nef) from the 1830's. Peter Shemonsky valued the set of 12 at $40-60K. I found a single cup on Christies website that sold for $10K after searching for "pearl set gold zarf"

This stuff was passed down through the family, so it just landed in my lap. I'm no expert or avid collector, so there isn't any sense of discovery or accomplishment on my part. I feel darn lucky that it passed to me.

I was looking for an appraisal for insurance purposes and it became quite an adventure and learning experience. The numbers are simply an indication of what the insurance premiums are going to cost me, lol.

Here is the Pendant:



Peter said it was a rare piece of sixteenth century art. Most of the jewelry from that era has been "re-purposed" while this one survived intact. I'm just guessing at this, but I think re-purposed means melting it down and remaking something with the gems and gold after it was pillaged or looted, to hide the trail of evidence. That's just my opinion after studying the era and learning what a swell bunch of people were running Europe during the Thirty Years War. It didn't take much to wind up in a noose or under the axe.

I had  the receipt for this from 1923, which helped authenticate it. It was appraised for $50-60K

I explained to Mr. Shemonsky after he saw the two items and that it was inherited, as an after thought, he asked "do you have a lot of this stuff?"

I desperately wish my wife was here to share this experience with me.  She'd know how to handle it.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Looking for some help identifying this.
« on: July 15, 2012, 02:10:34 pm »
I'll agree, these things are over the top as far as looks.  Somebody was taking one-up-man-ship to a new level, or some guy was pulling out all the stops to impress a lady.

The porcelain cups are removable and from the looks of it, some are replacements, in that they don't exactly match the pattern, paint and size. Oh well, it is what it is.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Looking for some help identifying this.
« on: July 13, 2012, 10:32:49 pm »
Thanks for the replies.  Now I can follow another link.  Woot!

A few months ago I wanted an appraisal for insurance, so I started looking for appraisers. Things are never that simple... I still have no idea how to value it.
Some of the pieces are beat up, some are still fairly pristine. Unusual, at least.

My wife was the collector, until she passed away. She worked hard at it and knew the language and terminology She had a knack for connecting with people.  I'm rather brain-dead without her.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Looking for some help identifying this.
« on: July 13, 2012, 05:08:04 pm »
More pics: Nikon CoolPix S550 on the Macro setting.











Someone in Seattle looked at it and I ended up with two tickets to the Antiques Roadshow in August.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Looking for some help identifying this.
« on: July 13, 2012, 02:39:01 pm »
I'll try to get my little camera to go the distance.

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Antique Questions Forum / Looking for some help identifying this.
« on: July 12, 2012, 09:09:57 pm »
My great grandfather managed a small shipyard during WWI. After the war, he traveled to Europe and purchased some antiques. (circa 1925)

This is one of the items he brought back. I've searched for weeks trying to find something similar, but so far no luck.



It's about the size of a shot glass, the base is enameled (blue and lavender with painted flowers) copper, while the leaves are highly worked gold inserts covered with translucent green lacquer and seed pearls, tiny tack welds hold them to the copper. The porcelain insert appears to be hand painted.

I'd like to know what it is and where it's from. Any ideas how I might go about researching from here?

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