C6 - Sunday, May 29, 1983 - North Shore News

Ge travel

When importing, older is better Shopping abroad

AFTER I'D checked with Canada Customs about duty-free shopping I was intrigued with the ruling on antiques. If the object is over 50 years old there is no duty (but sales tax is levied). Over 100 years old the item comes into Canada com- pletely free. Must be authenticated, of course.

From a previous column I'd done on importing anti- ques I realized that heavy objects like furniture can likely be bought right here in Canada at a saving. But what is more portable than dainty pieces of jewellery? However, what I know about antiques can be inscribed on the head of a pin with room left over for the Book of Genesis.

Was it possible to get a quick briefing? I approached Jean Ramsay at Betty Gracey Bridger (Treasure Chest) Antiques. I explained that I might be tempted to bring home some jewellery but I wanted some guidelines so that the pieces I bought would at least keep the value they started with. I also wanted the gew-gaws to be useful - something that my family could wear and enjoy.

She cautioned me _ that most of the jewellery pro- duced before the late 1700's is apt to be better purchased by serious collectors or museums. “You probably wouldn't want to wear it.”

We looked at rings. One clue to the age of a ring is an enclosed back - a solid band with the stones added on top. These were popular during the Georgian Period - roughly late 1700's, early

1800's.

Rings of this penod were mostly set in nine karat gold but could range up to 24K. Only a trained jeweller can tell unless the item is mark- ed. Possibilities of the original mark being evident aren't good. Also, much Eurqpean 9 jewellery is numbered rather than mark- ed. Were you to see 1000 on a piece, read 24K. If it says .375 it’s 9K.

Victorian rings are cx- tremely attractive, keep their valuc and are prized by modest collectors. Look for open or split shanks (the sides leading up to the stones) and tiny seed pearls They used a variety of stones - real or paste - but some gc- nuine tiny precious stones

such as pendot or opals shouldn't cost the carth Watch fobs are very

popular in England and you might get lucky and get a good one at a decent price

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Look for gold fobs, perhaps with a signet (initial) carved on the bottom. They are very attractive and can be suspended from a chain and worn as a pendant.

Cameos are tuicky. You want the ones made of shell and the more intricate the design the better. The depth of the carving may have bearing on the value. A lot of fakes are around.

Most cameos are set into pins. A quick guide to thé age of the pin is the clasp. If it has a long sharp point, ex- tending beyond the setting and no fancy guards on the hook it may be an old piece. It certainly isn't if 1 has a modern wheel-like guard.

Miniatures - those tiny picture brooches are popular collector’s items. Most of the ones you'll find rattling around are fairly recent - early 1900's. Two clues to

age: Check the clasp (as for cameos) and the lips of the subject. The pursed bee- stung mouth is recent. Memorial jewellery - the hair of the deceased braided and fashioned into a pin or pendant under glass is ex- tremely popular overseas “but people don’t seem to lke them here,” cautions

‘Jean. Can’t say I care too

much for them myself! If this sort of relic turns you on be prepared to pay a fine price overseas.

Art Nouveau _ pieces (roughly turn of the century) are popular collectors items. They are highly enamelled creations in bright colours often depicting birds or in- sects. They will probably hold their value should you purchase any.

Lockets are good value- holders too. Besides pen- dants look for the kind that were worn on a belt by the “chatelaine”. They've got a hook arrangement. Some still contain old photos - one that I saw was unique! “Who would want to wear a picture of that old goat?” I enquired. Somebody did.

There are a lot of very pretty filligree pendants featuring paste jewels. Many of the stones are foil backed to increase their lustre. Any dampness can destroy these. Also look for a tiny pin-prick in the foil at the centre-back of the stones. Called a “culet”. Doesn't increase the value but is a point of in- terest.

Also popular with collec- tors is marquesite - iron pyrite stones, the forerunner of rhinestones. The stones themselves aren't much to look at but some of the set- tings are lovely. These are mostly silver and the darker the older. This style of jewellery is next to impossi- ble to clean because the stones are glued. Thus, the dark stuff has been around longer.

Antique buttons are a fine collectable. They are scarce here - thus may keep or in-

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crease their value. They may be of any material under the sun - bone, metal, china, wood -- but have the added value that they can enhance a mundane sweater or blouse and be transferred to any outfit. Look for big sets of hand-done buttons. If you get very lucky you may find a set of hand-painted Sat- suma porcelain ones.

Lf an old watch turns you on, be sure that it’s running. If not, it may never be repairable since the parts aren't available for many.

Silver shoe buckles are lovely and you may find a way to use them. Cloak fasteners can be had, many set with paste gems. They're imteresting but I'm damned if 1 know how you'd get any use out of them.

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Earrings are a fine buy. Since we all have a number of “widows” in our jewellery boxes you can see how @ set would increase in value. The oldest ones have shepherd's hooks without a safety clasp. Almost useless to wear today - too easy to lose. Screw- backs weren't invented until the late 1800's.

Some words of caution: If you're about to buy something expensive, get an independant appraisal. Don't buy anything made of ivory - it’s illegal to import.

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