How to Tell Real from Fake Mother of Pearl

[sodacan]

Real MOP has a lot of depth and variation in the color, as shown below.

 

[STCM(SW)]

My 38 S&W lettered that it was shipped with MOP grips, I'm not going to test it.....

 

[Bullseye 2620]

wow, absolutely stunning, where can one squire these gems from?

Sadly, you can't. They are one of a kind.

Rogers Grips sells some nice, plain ones for S&W J, K, and L frames.

 

[gwpercle]

If the backside of the grips are a layer of black plastic ....
Jay Scott Imitation Pearl...FAKE !

That line of black plastic is a dead giveaway .
I can tell the difference by the feel but you have to be able to feel them to use that method. I wouldn't buy them unless I had the chance to inspect first ... photo's can fool but the hands are hard to fool .
..Good post on Pearls,
Gary

 

[mikerjf]

Have Patton take a look?

 

[Cruiser1]

Just found this thread; are these grips faux MOP? The backing is wood. Thanks

 

[brucev]

Wonderful thread. Question. Only picture showing in the nickel plated M-10 w/ MOP grips. How can one access the pictures? Sincerely. bruce.

 

[sigp220.45]

Just found this thread; are these grips faux MOP? The backing is wood. Thanks

Those are Jay Scott fake pearls.

 

[Cruiser1]

Thanks; found some Scott's like these online; looks like they usually sell for $40-60

 

[Alk8944]

The most common fake MOP,Etc, are Jay Scott and they will be so marked on the back.


Real MOP will always be colored like Mother of Pearl (Abalone shell) and will have some iridescence. Real MOP will never have any form of backing!


Once you have identified real MOP all you will ever need to do is look at them and you will know.


Or you can tap them gently with a light metal object like a pocket knife blade. Ream MOP will give a distinct "clink", like stone. Fake will sound like, well, plastic.