Cameo marking BA80

Hello! Im looking for help with the cameo. The last pic is all i have found but the lady is different. Any info appreciated.

 

Just in case this slips off the radar:

@Bronwen

 

what do you mean?

 

@Donna HA , sabre123 is just tagging Bronwen (our resident cameo expert) to have a look before this thread gets lost in the shuffle.

 

i'm not sure she's gonna like it.........

 

Bronwen IS Cameosleuth on CW

 

Thanks!

 

This seems to be a question more about the metalwork & maker of finished item than about the cameo (hand hacked - "different" is kind - in mother of pearl). Mount looks Italian, with 50 or more years on it, so probably is 800 silver. Maybe one of our silver marks experts will have an idea of whether BA is the maker or the province mark for Bari. @Bakersgma

 

The cameo has a chain like trim and dark lady. These are more similar. BA800 likely for sure but harder to find the dark lady with mother of pearl carving.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtg-ba-800-silver-abalone-mop-carved-650327980

 

The maker of the pendant would have bought cameos by the job lot from another firm that produced them. Cameo portraits such as these of men could be completed in a day by a highly skilled artisan, so you can imagine how quickly a practiced hand could turn out a little one like this.

It is true that MOP cameos are seen less frequently than cameos cut from the outer layers of helmet & conch shell, but are comparable to other shell cameos in the value of the material & the difficulty of cutting. The main place you see this type used is in Days of the Week bracelets. Cupid in his boat is from my collection.



I don't know what more there is to find out about this piece. Work by this company is evidently not rare, given how easily other examples were found. That the top layer of yours is darker than the few others we've seen is not a significant difference, ordinary variation in shell color.

 

Appreciate it thanks

 

Thank you I saved that!