Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

Bronwen, I'm blown away that you were able to identify the signature from that one picture alone! I have a couple other shell ones that also have signatures, which I'll be posting tomorrow.

The Flora one is my favorite. It's quite large, too. Unfortunately, the frame has some damage, like you said.

Thank you so much for your response! It's always a delight to learn more about cameos.

 

I have seen this signature so many times I can recognize it even if I can only see half.

The Flora is an excellent find. What else ya got?

 

More shell ones. A few are pinkish-white shells. Then I also have an antique-looking Wedgwood one and an unique amethyst-purple one in an ornate silver frame. I'll post them tomorrow.

 

Here is the amethyst-purple one. The discolored areas you see on the cameo itself are just glare or a bit of grime; the color is pretty uniform throughout, except that the cameo has more of a matte finish. The bezel was so tarnished when I acquired it, I thought it was bronze or brass. When I polished it up, I realized it was actually silver. I need to test it to determine the silver amount.

 

The center figure looks like pate de verre. Certainly a looker!

 

Usually these are mounted in silver plated metal
Nice!

 

She's a lovely thing. Have you found any tiny marks hidden among the tarnish? As BMRT said,

She is a separate piece from the background layer so take care in cleaning as she may be glued on, in which case she could come unstuck. Do I see little Psyche wings on her head?

https://cameotimes.com/index.php/profiles-1/minor-gods/psyche

Too bad she is currently unwearable but think a jeweller could restore as a brooch or add a bail for wear as a pendant. Since mount is silver, shouldn't cost an arm & a leg. The glass cameo is probably French; would not be surprised if the ornate setting is as well. If it is, purity is likely to be 800, & it will be marked.

Your box is yielding some nice things.

 

I’ve been trying to find the post in this thread on mounting a loose cameo. Someone had found a good frame online. I think it was Amazon. Does anyone recall how far back that was? I’m trying to find the link.

 

Was it that?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/522486912/claw-prong-raw-stone-pendant-blank?ref=shop_home_feat_4&pro=1

 

I think that’s it! Thank you!

 

I got one of those automated special offers & it can be mine for $6,500. What do you think?

@bluumz, thinking of you constantly, even though socially distant.

 

Thank you!
I'm definitely being kept busy but I am well, so far.

 

New arrival: The center isn’t vulcanite, it’s heavy and cold and makes a clicking noise against my teeth. Onyx maybe? Frame was tested at 14k. No marks on frame. Pin is missing but C catch is still there. Black outer boarder looks like black enamel that has been flaking off. Signature on the back but I can’t make out if its Ceveni, Cevevi or Cereri.

 

NICE!!!
Waiting for @Bronwen to be sure, but I think your beautiful new addition is black lava (dyed)

 

Kyratango tells you true: cameo is 'lava', which will have been dyed to get it this dark, even black color. The back says 'Cerere', Italian for Ceres.

 

The new men in my life:



They came as a lot. The third one is signed by Pio Siotto.

 

3 in one shot! Bravo for catching them
New mood... hairy faces are everywhere now

 

Seller was entertaining offers & I was considering making one, assuming there would be some negotiating & I would perhaps agree to a bit more. Then got one of those automated offers for exactly the amount that was going to be my first offer, so... It was the Siotto I wanted, of course. I have another, one of the first signed pieces I ever bought, in a massive setting with a memento compartment (empty) on the back. You would need a serious bosom to wear it, which I do not have. It was fortunate that seller included a photo with the compartment cover off, otherwise would not have seen the signature, which seller had not spotted.


Can't remember if I researched the hallmarks.



Guessing S.B. & Sons. Ideas, anyone?

 

I found a Solomon Blanckensee & Son Ltd but theirs is a bit different. Unless they changed it through the years? They also are on a page with English electroplate silver so it really probably isn't it, but thought I'd include it.

​

SOLOMON BLANCKENSEE & SON LTD
Birmingham
The firm was founded in Bristol in 1826. In 1863 it moved to Great Charles Street, Birmingham. Blanckensee & Son was the partnership of Solomon and Abraham Solomon Blanckensee

From here: http://www.silvercollection.it/electroplatesilverBdue.html#BLANC

 

Okay, I did find some gold items made by that company (Solomon Blanckensee & Son) but the ones I see do not have the mark that is on the cameo mount.