ARTICLE - ENGRAVED GEMS
Catherine the Great had an impressive collection, and Queen Elizabeth loved wearing them. Napoleon wore a crown decorated with them, and they were a favourite of Queen Victoria. Grace Parry looks at the engraved gem of the cameo. Today the Italian town of Torre del Greco – at the foot of the volcano Vesuvius - is considered by many to be the carved shell cameo of the world, and in fact discoveries of archaeological sites in Italy (and also Egypt) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries had a great influence on cameo carving in the Victorian era, when mythological scenes became hugely popular. Shell cameos were at their most Large shell cameo brooch with a scene of a mandolin player serenading his paramour in a garden, set in a 9ct gold frame, c.1880. From the Mill Markets, Victoria. The shell cameo was also considered to be a less formal item of jewellery, which meant it could be worn during the day; and in tourist areas where shell carving was popular, it was common for the stylish Victorian lady to have a cameo carved in her likeness as a souvenir of the holiday. But whilst the carver might have made some effort towards carving a resemblance of his client, it’s more likely that the trends of the time were represented in the finished product. For example, before 1850 the long Roman nose was considered to be highly fashionable. The slightly upturned nose and rosebud lips came into vogue in the mid-nineteenth century, whilst by the end of the nineteenth century a pert nose was most chic. Upswept hair was common towards the end of the Victorian era, whereas shorter curls became stylish in the early twentieth century. These general changes in representations can also often help when dating a cameo. Learning to carve a cameo was Exceptional quality night and day cameo in 9ct surround, from Avoca Beach Antiques and Gifts, NSW. The most suitable shells are generally considered to be cassis rufa (or cornelian helmet) and cassis madadgascariensis (also known as sardonyx helmet), although around twenty-five different types of shell might be used. The chosen shell will be closely scrutinised for flaws or cracks, and it must also display both light and dark colours, usually with the darker colour behind the lighter so that it can easily be incorporated into the background. The initial cameo carving begins by cutting the shell into two pieces using an extremely sharp wheel. One part of the shell is used for trinkets and souvenir items; the other, more richly coloured and thicker part - known as the cup - is used for the cameo. The artist then draws the shape of the cameo he wants in the cup, and the shell is handed over to a cameo carver who uses a tool called a bullion to create the artist’s design, which will reveal the coloured layers of the shell. Depending on the complexity of the design, a cameo might be finished in two days or several months. Once the carving is complete, the cameo will be hand polished. Because of the naturally uneven surface of the shell, shell cameos are carved by hand (a machine cutter can’t manage the irregularities, although the laser is now being used by some cameo carvers; see ‘Is it real?’). The art is in revealing the layers of colour specific to that particular shell, to create the greatest contrast of colour. The carnelian shell is especially popular because of its colour range, which may be orange, peach or reddish-brown, whereas the sardonyx shell, which often resembles marble when it is carved to reveal the dark brown interior, is the most expensive. A shell cameo displaying a muted, pale blue colour is carved from mother-of-pearl, which is often set in silver as opposed to the more usual gold frames. Older cameos can also be set in brass, gold filled or in silver vermeil. The cameo frame was created by wrapping the ribbon of metal around the edge of the shell carving, and folding the edges over. The bezel was then twisted into a decoration, such as ribbon or braids, and it’s this style that can often give an indication of the age of the carving. The more restrained frames usually date from early Victorian times, with the more ornate designs coming into vogue around the mid-1800s. At the turn of the century and into the Art Deco period, it was fashionable to set the cameo in white gold. The trend for Deco and retro jewellery over the past decade or so has affected the popularity of the cameo, which was seen as being a bit old-fashioned. However, in recent years Hollywood has come to the rescue; several movie stars have been strutting the red carpet wearing cameo jewellery, and according to American dealer (and cameo specialist) Lavina Rutt, the jewellery was noticed by the media and ‘triggered renewed interest across the country.’ Is it real? To determine if a cameo is genuine, it’s necessary to view it through magnification such as a jeweller’s loupe in order to see if it was carved in one piece or has been assembled from pieces and glued together. In Germany there are carvers producing modern cameos with a laser; these will feel rough to the touch. In China, there are now people making cameos from plastic but with the feel of shell; a hot needle tip onto the cameo will reveal if it’s plastic, because plastic will melt. Looking after the shell cameo Shell cameos can be prone to cracking and drying as they age, and may also suffer some discolouration. Both problems can be prevented by gently moisturising with baby or mineral oil (NOT olive oil as it can cause a yellow discolouration) one or two times a year; leave the cameos overnight and then remove the oil the next morning using a soft cloth (if you use paper towel, shreds of the paper will stick to the uneven surface of the cameo). Make sure you never wash the excess oil off, as you’ll lose the moisturising action. If you decide to use a professional jewellery cleaner for your cameo – if, for example, you decide to polish its gold surround – make sure you choose one that is safe for use on pearls. Never soak a shell cameo, and don’t store in a plastic bag or cotton wraps. This information first appeared in Issue 34 of Antiques and Collectables for Pleasure & Profit.
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popular during Victoria’s reign. Lava, jet and some gemstones also lent
themselves to cameo carving over the centuries, but because the shell was relatively inexpensive it became more popular.
no easy experience. In the shell-carving centres such as Torre del Greco,
there were (and in many cases, still are) carving houses with their own master carvers, where years of training are necessary before quality cameos can be produced. Often the master carver is a male head of the family who passes the art down to
the most talented of his apprentices – and the training begins with the most simple step of selecting the right shell.
