My new antique cameo

[glitterata]

At a police auction I bought what I think is an antique, Victorian cameo. Can anybody:

--identify the lady (presumably a Greek goddess)?

--identify the period it was made (is my guess of mid-19th-century way off?)?

--identify the style and material of the frame (looks like gold to me)?

--make a rough guess as to its value?

Thanks!

Glitterata

 

[glitterata]

Here's the back. The original clasp was replaced (visible solder) with an early locking clasp.

 

[glitterata]

Here it is with a walnut, for scale.

 

[glitterata]

Backlit on a lamp.

 

[glitterata]

Backlit on a lamp, without flash. You can see a small crack near her hand and a couple of stress lines.

 

[valeria101]

I am surprised how translucent it is. The colors indicate at best a shell cameo with unusually fine cutting, or, at worst, a fake. A shell cameo may have a slightly uneven back (concavity from material, especially in a big piece) while artificial pieces would not bother to duplicate such a feature. Regardless of material, the Lady is most likely a Menada - Greeck Nimph in the cortege of Dyonissos/Bachus - carying a thyrs (this was literaly a stik with ornamentation at tip, such a cones, flowers and quite dangerous metal pieces such as small maces). These ladies had the reputation to be perpetually drunk and dancing with their master god (god of wine and prophetic enebriation) so this is why the one on your cameo seems to be floating in mid-air... Of course, given that there is no clear labeling, there could be other pertinent identifications. But this was a quite popular representation and I would not look any further.

One more: both the metal and the material should be readily ientifiable in person (the stone) and at most with very easy testing (metal) by any jeweler out there. I would be glad to see a hard stone or shell cameo with such fine and inspired carving even in picture only! If you have been lucky after all, than the quality of the carving should prevail over age at evaluation, even if the piece is not all that old.

Hope this helps!

 

[glitterata]

You're right! You're right! She must be a maenad or bacchante! And that thing in her left hand is a bunch of grapes. Thank you, thank you! I can't tell you how satisfying it is to have an answer.

It's definitely a real shell cameo. The back curves & it has the right texture.

Any advice about how I should take care of it?

Thanks again,
Glitterata

 

[valeria101]

Nothing to take care of: just do not wash it with anything but worm water, keep it aside from other scratchy jewelry and please do not harm (polish off

) that wonderful patina on the frame! The piece looks very elegant and I could not say many times enough how hard is to get such a well carved cameo. The subject is no longer all that often produced either (I have not seen cameos carved with this model today, so at least they are uncommon if not extinct). In Eastern Europe (my place), a frame like this would have been produced around 1930, but the fashions here were somewhat different than in the rest of Europe. If the piece is what it seems, it may be a good idea to have someone look at it, just for the nice surprise you have every right to expect!

Best of luck!

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

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On 9/14/2003 8:28:17 PM valeria101 wrote:
Nothing to take care of: just do not wash it with anything but worm water, keep it aside from other scratchy jewelry and please do not harm (polish off

) that wonderful patina on the frame! The piece looks very elegant and I could not say many times enough how hard is to get such a well carved cameo. The subject is no longer all that often produced either (I have not seen cameos carved with this model today, so at least they are uncommon if not extinct). In Eastern Europe (my place), a frame like this would have been produced around 1930, but the fashions here were somewhat different than in the rest of Europe. If the piece is what it seems, it may be a good idea to have someone look at it, just for the nice surprise you have every right to expect!

Best of luck!

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Hey Valeria...Sound advice. I was looking at similiar cameos online from the Pre-Victorian era and the frames are styled differently for sure. The frame on this piece looks as though its gold plated, but an appraisal will outline more of the details.

-Josh Rioux
Sitka, Alaska

 

[Hest88]

I know nothing about cameos, but it sure is beautiful!