Description
This is a fun hand-carved shell cameo brooch/pendant combination depicting a beautiful young woman’s profile gazing to the right. The oval shell cameo is set into 12K yellow gold-filled metal and secures with a modern safety clasp and a collapsible bail. The brooch is framed with a simple twisted ribbon pattern that adds a beautiful design element to the piece. A lovely cameo to start or add to your collection!
Cameo carving has an ancient history dating back to 3 century BCE Greece. Empress Josephine, Alexander the Great, and Queen Victorian were prominent cameo enthusiasts. They are typically carved out of hard stone, shell or coral, and lava and can be used as jewelry or objets d’ art. To learn more about cameos, read our blog post here:
The cameo is in very good vintage condition with minimal signs of wear. The cameo is hand-carved, so you can see the variation in height and carving marks on the shell’s surface. There appears to be a layer of resin on the cameo’s background to protect the carving. The bail and clasp are fully functional, and the piece is stamped 1/20-12K GF. There are a few small darkened areas on the twisted ribbon, but this is not noticeable or distracting.
The cameo measures 1-3/4″ tall and 1-1/4″ wide and weighs 8.18 grams. The box is for display only.
I try to show an accurate picture of the item in my photographs and the written description. Please note the size given in the description, as images can often look more significant than the actual object.
I combine shipping on multiple orders!
