What is this jewellery...?
object identification
mystery pieces
What is this…?
It’s the question I get asked the most: what is this….? I’ll be happy to help you out!
I create full object files for mystery pieces. You’ll get a report as pdf, with a description of your piece, details about its cultural background, its meaning and symbolism, and its function in in the culture it comes from. You’ll get the full story.
Compiled by an expert, these object files can be used for appraisal or insurance purposes, in sales descriptions, or as documentation with the donation of your collection to a museum or cultural institution.
getting to work
How does it work…?
- Reach out via the contact form, or send me a DM via social media. Please allow me some time to answer: I may be in a different timezone.
- Send a few photos of your piece, so I can get an idea of the amount of time I’ll need to research your piece.
- I’ll get back to you with a quotation and the timeframe in which I can finish your report.
- You decide if you want to work with me: if yes, I’ll get on it!
A few securities:
- I treat your photos confidentially: I will never share your pieces with anyone else.
- If I can’t be of help to you, for example because an item is outside my area of expertise, I’ll let you know as well.
- I don’t do appraisals. The value of your piece has no bearing on my fee – my fee depends solely on the time I’ll need.
If you’d like me to work on multiple pieces, or on a complete collection, please reach out via the contact form and we’ll find a solution!
About me
Your expert
I have worked on many museum and private collections, and have been professionally involved in collection management, inventory and photography.
I assist museums and customs offices with object identifications, and am looking forward to researching your jewellery pieces!
Questions
‘Can’t I get an answer on the Internet?’ – Of course, and I’d invite you to sleuth around yourself! Google Lens and other reverse image searches work miracles. But if you’re looking for reliable, referenced information on your specific piece all bundled up into one file, that’s where I come in.
‘Can’t you just give me a quick answer? You know so much about jewellery!’ – Well, this is literally my job. I don’t suppose your plumber fixes your leaking faucet for free, because they’re skilled at plumbing, right…? Also, I get dozens of DM’s per day asking my opinion on jewellery – I truly wish I could afford to work for free, but I’m not at that level yet!
‘What is your fee?’ That depends on the time I’ll need to research your piece. The minimum fee for a full report is 50 euros.
