Vintage 1962 ROLYN INC. Shell Cameo and Gold Filled Brooch and Pendant Combo

Vintage 1962 Rolyn Inc. hand-carved shell cameo brooch/pendant combination depicting a beautiful young woman's side profile gazing to the left. The oval shell cameo is set into 12K yellow gold-filled metal and secured with a modern safety clasp. The brooch is framed with a simple "zig-zag" pattern that adds a beautiful design element to the piece. Lovely, affordable cameo to start or add to your collection!

Rolyn Inc. was founded in 1961 in Cranston, Rhode Island, and is still operational today. Cameo carving has an ancient history dating back to 3 century BCE Greece. They are typically carved out of hard stone, shell or coral, and lava and can be used as jewelry or objets d' art. Empress Josephine, Alexander the Great, and Queen Victoria were prominent cameo enthusiasts. 

The cameo is in very good condition for its age, with typical wear on the gold. The cameo is hand-carved so that you can see the variation in height and carving marks on the shell's surface. A hairline crack runs from her shoulder on the left to the frame. It pushes through to the back but does not extend across the entire piece. This occurred during carving and has not cracked further in over 100 years. 

There are minor signs of the gold fill wearing off on the brooch's back, but it is not visible while wearing. The bail and clasp are fully functional and secure. On the inside of the back is stamped with a large R with INC inside the top and C at the bottom, which stands for Rolyn Inc., followed by "12K GF," which means 12 karat gold filled. 

The cameo measures 1-6/8" tall and 1-1/4" wide; it weighs 7.38 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 in the description, as images can often make the item appear more prominent than its actual size.  

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