I just recently received these two vintage necklaces and have so many questions now. I tend to love vintage, go figure, my grandfather was an antique dealer, and I love both of these pieces. The shadow box piece has something that looks like something was spilled onto some of the turquoise beads that was either black or caused the beads to turn black (I’ve tried to capture some of this in one or two of the pics). Any idea if I might be able to remove any of that and if so, how would I go about doing so? The hallmark looks like an adjoined VAL. I’m still learning how to use my Bille Hougart book, but I’ve not had luck finding this hallmark. Am I missing it or can anyone identify it? Last questions on this one would be what decade do you think this would be from or approximate age and approximate estimated value?
Second necklace I have pretty much the same questions. I’ve turned and turned looking at this hallmark in all different directions. Is it a P, an R, a tool? Then I finally thought it looked a bit like the bell trading post hall mark, so looked at shop hallmarks, still have not been able to figure it out! Can anyone identify this hallmark? Would also love to have an idea of about age of this and an estimated value would be great.
It is possible that something like liver of sulphur was used to darken the Shadowbox. There are several ways to darken silver and that is one of the most commonly used. The dark area is common and expected on this type.
Someone is selling a close cousin to one of yours, the one with the VA, as being by Vidal Aragon, a beloved Pueblo artist. His hallmark does have a conjoined V and A but I’m not sure I’ve seen it with an additional “foot” or extra stroke in it. He was famous for his overlay work with stamping, and did do set stones, so it’s persuasive.
Funny, if you look at this one for sale, it does have that additional “foot” or extra stoke on the hallmark! Does that make both of ours Vidal Aragon pieces or this seller mistaken?
It is possible. Not as familiar with having ever seen something like that, I couldn’t say for sure, but that could possibly be it. To me it looked like something even almost sticky was stuck to it, but it could totally be the host rock! Thank you!
If it feels sticky maybe it’s something else; you can see it better than me of course. But sometimes the host rock in my turquoise feels different. Regardless, it’s a really pretty necklace.
Could the black areas be resin?
I have some 1980’s cabs that a fairly soft material was used as backing.
In this one, the backing material was also used to fill in voids on the front of the cab.
The black areas are soft and easily scratched.
Sorry for the somewhat blurry photo, but I hope it shows what I mean.
