Sterling silver cross with 5 stone settings

[MiddenMonster]

Yeah, yeah it's another excuse to play with the camera. I found this cross in the middle of the street. The stone on the right was missing, and it looked like the cross had been run over by a car. After about 20 minutes I figured what the heck and went back out to see if I could find the stone. I quickly found it, about 2' from where I found the cross and was able to pry open the setting and reset the stone. The cross is Sterling silver and the dimensions are 2 9/16" tall by 1 5/8" wide. The only markings on the back are "Sterling" in tiny letters, and below that there appear to be two characters. The first is either a "C" or an "L", and the second is either a "B" or an "8". I'm guessing it was made by sand casting because the back is flat and the front is rounded from side to side. The silver settings look like they are melted on. The same for the chain ring, which is shaped like a backwards "P", i.e. the straight part extends down the back of the cross. The cross weighs about 2 grams. I don't know what the stones are, and doubt that they are real though it would be nice if they were. The only one I can come close to identifying is the one on the left, which I believe to be turquoise or faux turquoise. The stone I reset is flat on the back side. Obviously not a retirement find, but I'm keeping it anyway.

 

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[wirelessworldinc]

That is very unusual. I would wear it, has that old look about it. Sell it on Ebay.

 

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[Ed-NH]

Hmm,.... I'm not much of a jewelry expert but you say that it has some small markings on the back. I know that years ago makers put their "makers mark" on silver. It could be a makers mark and if you could identify it, it could be old. I have some links to makers marks websites. I'll try and dig them up and post the links to them into this post for you. In the meantime do a search on "silver makers marks" and you should find some information.

 

[MiddenMonster]

Hmm,.... I'm not much of a jewelry expert but you say that it has some small markings on the back. I know that years ago makers put their "makers mark" on silver. It could be a makers mark and if you could identify it, it could be old. I have some links to makers marks websites. I'll try and dig them up and post the links to them into this post for you. In the meantime do a search on "silver makers marks" and you should find some information.

Thanks. Today I searched the Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Maker's Marks at http://www.925-1000.com, but didn't see it. I kicked myself for not thinking of it yesterday, but today I took a picture of the writing on the back and it came out just fine. Sidenote: I also just found out that if I got an extension tube and combined it with my macro lens I could fill a 3264 X 2448 pixel frame with the head of Lincoln on a penny, getting virtually every scratch and flaw in the process. It would be close to what you see with a dissecting microscope! As for the markings, it clearly says "Sterling", and below it I'm pretty sure it says "L.B." Here be a picture, with a bit of Photoshop's Unsharp Mask and a slight adjustment to the brightness and contrast:

 

[dg39]

Southwestern jewelry, probably Navaho. initials generally are the artist's. Nice cross.
DG

 

[mercinarie]

looks like a home made job.