Need help from a jeweler!

[Tony14]

Wow my new dump was very nice to me today. I didnt find any bottles whatsoever (other then some killer shards) but this came out. I know its a cameo and i think its pink coral? I started washing it off and then gold started to come through on the metal...i think this is gold plated. When i saw that i didnt want to risk any further work done too it until i talk to you guys. Can someone help with date value and how to clean it! There are no identifying marks that i can see on it.

 

[Tony14]

wow this thing is hard to get a picture of. Its very detailed..

 

[Tony14]

heres a blurry one of the back. thanks for any help!!

 

[GuntherHess]

The better cameos were normally set in gold. If its gold plated it may be costume jewelry. That may be pink glass. Hard to tell unless you take it to an expert (not a mall jewelry store[]).

 

[Tony14]

Thanks Matt. It doesnt feel like glass...but i dont know anything about this kind of stuff []. Ill probably bring it in this week sometime. Any easy way to tell if its gold plated or set in gold?

 

[GuntherHess]

its pretty obvious when you dig an item that is solid gold. Gold doesnt tarnish and when you rinse the dirt off it will look like new.

 

[capsoda]

Hey Tony, It could be coral. Coral was a cheep substitute in cameos. Could also be plastic. Regardless of what history says about plastic is has been around for over 2000 years. Just before and during the Civil War plastic stones were all the rage. Most got thrown out in later years because it didn't have any real value making it super rare today. I have rebuilt several pieces of Civil War jewelry.

Your frame looks like it had glued in clear glass stones or foil back stones set in it.
Looks early 20th century.

 

[Tony14]

Thanks you guys. Im thinkin its coral it doesnt have that plastic or glass feel to it. Yea i noticed the frame work missing the beads. Im going to bring this into a jeweler sometime soon. any ideas for further cleaning it? It doesnt look like its all that tarnished therers just rust spots on it covering up the gold

 

[capsoda]

A tooth brush and baking soda tooth paste. You can make a past out of plain paking soda and a little liquid soap too. That is what tooth paste is plus flavoring. [:'(]

 

[Tony14]

Thanks Warren[]