Currently bidding on a quill?

DartmouthPanhel · #1 09-20-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovespink88

The pearl ones today have 15 pearls, that one has 19. I wonder when that kind stopped being made...

I'm bidding on it, so I spent some time looking closely at the setting. I think that this was originally a crown pearl badge with 20 pearls (which they stopped making a while back) and it lost a pearl. Or it's possible that they used to make 19 pearl badges as well as 20, but it's unlikely.

I had a question for any quill enthusiasts: I've seen (on ebay and otherwise) some badges that look like current double crown pearl badges with 15 seed pearls, but the pearl at the "point" of the quill is a diamond. Is/was this a standard option, or is this a customized quill?

amanda6035 · #2 09-20-2009, 07:15 PM

ebay bidding words of advice - CLICK TO WATCH the item, rather than bidding on it (this will bookmark it for you). Then make a calendar reminder to go back within the last 15 minutes or so of bidding on something that you want. I learned early on that I've lost out on items, or ran the price up early on with other people who wanted it. You should wait until the last minute or so of the auction and bid as high as you feel comfortable bidding, and that way, you wont be suckered into bidding outside of your personal price range, and you will win it, as long as someone else doesnt bid higher than your price range at the last minute.

amanda6035 · #3 09-20-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DartmouthPanhel

I had a question for any quill enthusiasts: I've seen (on ebay and otherwise) some badges that look like current double crown pearl badges with 15 seed pearls, but the pearl at the "point" of the quill is a diamond. Is/was this a standard option, or is this a customized quill?

This was "standard" if I'm correct, because the way the order form use to be filled out, you could mark if you wanted to replace any particular pearls with a diamond. I dont know if this is still an option.

PM me with your email address if you want to see samples of the new quills that are being offered to the NMs this year. The document I have is copyrighted so I don't want to post it. I hear that the pictures on going to be on the FHQ website SOON!

lovespink88 · #4 09-20-2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DartmouthPanhel

I'm bidding on it, so I spent some time looking closely at the setting. I think that this was originally a crown pearl badge with 20 pearls (which they stopped making a while back) and it lost a pearl. Or it's possible that they used to make 19 pearl badges as well as 20, but it's unlikely.

Oh, I think you're right! If you look at the top, it looks like a piece is broken off, where the 20th pearl would be. Still, an amazing find!

AZ-AlphaXi · #5 09-20-2009, 08:12 PM

20 pearl Quills were an option until sometime in the 1960s. When I initiated in 1971 we only had choices of the 15 pearls, plain, or 3 pearl tiffany setting.

Diamonds have always been an option. My Quill is 15 pearls with a diamond in the tip. One of the Quills I have from ebay is a 1928 Quill from Alpha Chapter and has 19 pearls and a diamond in place of the 20th pearl.

There were also options in the 1940s for closed crown setting for the pearls.