Photo Credit: Nadine Krakov Estate Jewelry
Sterling Silver, Gold Overlay & Jade Rooster Circa 1960!
Buy It Now Price: $225 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This is a fine objet d’art crafted from some very desirable materials.
-Its French attribution seems secure based on the subject matter. The rooster is an enduring symbol of the French Republic.
-The eBay seller mistakenly identifies the stone base as malachite, which is incorrect. In reality, the base is made out of good quality nephrite jade, which is actually more valuable than malachite.
-The tarnish on the item is not unusual for silver vermeil (gold over silver) and shouldn’t deter a purchase.
-The craftsmanship appears to be good, but not top tier. On the whole this piece is about as inexpensive as one could possibly hope for a quality objet d’art.
Cons:
-The eBay seller describes this piece as being gold over sterling silver, but the French rarely produced silver in the sterling (92.5% fine) standard. The overwhelming majority of French silver is either 1st standard (95% fine) or 2nd standard (80% fine).
-I also don’t see any hallmarks in the photos, although they might simply be too small or obscured to see properly. If there is any reason to reject the item, the lack of a hallmark is it. The seller may have more information regarding hallmarks on the item.
-The piece is on the small side at only 1.75 inches tall by 1.5 inches in diameter. This is forgivable given the reasonable price.
