Author Topic: Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket  (Read 1582 times)

CallieGray

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Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket
« on: March 26, 2013, 04:14:01 pm »
Hello!  I have several questions/wanted information about a mysterious locket I have, possibly from Italy, and I was wondering if anyone here could help me.  I have researched this on my own before coming here and have discovered the (possible) following:

Possibly made in the 1950's, though it seems to be older than that.
Could be Italian
.925 Sterling Silver
The marking which labels it as being .925 is upside down in the locket.  
Chain it is on is also .925 Sterling Silver
And from the lack of information about it, I would say that it could very well be rare.  

I was wondering the following things:
Where it is from?
When it was made?
Whom was it made by?
Possible value?

Here is the information/background history on it and also images:
Backstory: When I was much younger, I was digging through a box of cheap, plastic beads my grandmother had given me to play with, and come across a very large item.  After pulling it out from the other beads I noticed that it was very out of place, being very old looking and unique.  I asked her about it and she (and her husband) said that they did not know where it came from or why it was there.  I honestly have no idea why it was in the bead box, and these were just your regular craft store, cheap, colored, plastic beads.  
I believe the chain of the necklace was attached to the pendant when I pulled it out, and from what I can tell they are about the same age and both are silver.  

Research:  After mulling around on the internet for a while I have only found about six very very similar pendants, most of which do not come with a chain, and have a different bale than mine.  They also have the engravings of either "STERLING," "925" or "ND 925" (all of which are facing right side up inside the locket.  Two of these very similar lockets are from Italy, and the others (who's owners I spoke to) said that they got theirs from either Florida or Queens.  Someone also guessed that it was made in around the 1950's.  

Images:
The outside of the locket:

The full inside of the locket in which you can see the upside down "925":

The "925" turned right side up:

Locket back:

Chain:

The tag on the chain and the 925 on the chain clasp.  On the tag there is what looks like a hallmark symbol? Maybe some help in identifying that?

The backside of the chain tag which states its origin from Italy and again the number 925 for the .925 sterling silver.  (The way the tag says Italy also leads me to believe that the locket is perhaps Italian?):

The most confusing part of these pictures is that the locket itself has no hallmark on it... the only hallmark I found was on the chain clasp, and it was that weird "K" or "I" or "H" looking symbol.  Any help identifying what or who that means would be VERY much appreciated :)

Thank you SO MUCH to anyone who can help me decode this necklace!!

Callie Gray

« Last Edit: March 26, 2013, 04:18:22 pm by CallieGray »

bigwull

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Re: Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2013, 05:12:58 pm »
The fact that the locket itself has 925...and the link has 925..these are its I.D....many countries do not have a hallmark,...they, only give the % of silver/ gold,...coupled with the Italy stamp....there is no maybe,s about it..this came from Italy...as to who made it.......i don,t have the foggiest...
I make no excuses,and no apologies....but i like a good Malt,

CallieGray

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Re: Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2013, 06:44:17 pm »
Thank you for that confirmation!  Any idea what the little symbol on the tag is or means?

mart

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Re: Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2013, 07:21:25 pm »
Back in the 50`s and 60`s ( I remember them well ) lockets were popular with all young ladies !! I had a few !!   The 925 on the locket itself is right side up if you have the locket on !!  During that time silver, even sterling was pretty cheap and items like this were sold by many import shops !!  I can remember going to the State Fair back then and there were tables full of items like this,hearts, crosses, lockets, crucifix, beautiful mosaic bracelets and necklaces at the Italian world exhibit that they sold as souveniers !!  Many other countries also had their items on display !!  Could have been where this came from !! 

CallieGray

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Re: Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2013, 09:01:28 pm »
Thank you Mart!  Actually, it is still upside down when you wear it.  If you will notice the bale is still on top while the number is upside down.  I wonder if it was maybe like a misprint or something?

bigwull

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Re: Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2013, 02:38:55 am »
Don,t take too much out of the number  being upside down.. its irrelevant...as to value.for its silver value, but not much more...
I make no excuses,and no apologies....but i like a good Malt,

mart

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Re: Antique Italian (?) Cupid Locket
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2013, 06:02:20 am »
As you have it shown,, it isn`t possible for the 925 to be upside down if you have it on and open it !!  However like Bigwull said that is irrelevant since these were hand stamped and about all they were interested in was that it was stamped on !! Value on this necklace would be whatever silver is bringing on the market !!