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 Post subject: Coral?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:50 am 
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Hello there, was wondering whether anyone may be able to offer me some advice.

A regular customer of mine brought in some beads asking for help to identify them and a query as to what as happened to them...

They were a gift from her mother about 4 years ago, who had bought them as coral (I don't know where from).
She recalls when she was first given them, that they were all in fairly good condition, but have since deteriorated.

They are now have black "rotten" grooves in them and are flaking away. (Pics below)

Image

Image

Image

Image

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Would anyone be able to offer any clues as to what they are or what has happened to them...?

Many thanks in advance.


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 Post subject: Re: Coral?
PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:42 pm 
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Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:01 am
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Location: Devon, UK
Always difficult to ident from a picture, but I've seen Coral similar to this before. Do you think it may have been heavily wax filled? Heat and moisture could have convinced it to part company.

Just a thought.

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 Post subject: Re: Coral?
PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:03 pm 
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Your analysis is as good as any.
I have never seen anything like this that hasn't been in a fire.


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 Post subject: Re: Coral?
PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:51 pm 
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If you're willing to risk destruction if they're plastic, you could try some of the amber detection tricks that are being discussed on another thread: Stick a hot pin in the hole and see what it smells like. If it smells like burning plastic, it's, well, burning plastic ;)

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