Cameo Signature Help Needed

Nice! I'm getting rather fond of these Victorian gents. Can I put your guy on my Gents Pinterest board? Haven't had a new addition in a while because haven't been seeing any with decent photos. (Great pix, BTW.)

 

The first step in getting a cameo portrait has to have been getting a photo taken in profile. Wonder if there are still these mug shots floating around in the antique photo world. Did the cameists keep them so they could show prospective customers previous projects?

 

Hi Bronwen, Sure, you can add him to your Pinterest board. There was something about this gentleman that really spoke to me. I am glad to have him. I have 3 other guys, too. I will take pictures of them in the coming days.

 

Wouldn't that be nice. I wish they had kept lists of the sitters' names.

 

He has now achieved Pinterest immortality:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/163396292720708257

 

I'm going to put a couple of my unsigned favorite guys in the Show & Tell thread.

 

Thank you!

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...aign=auction-alert&utm_content=lot-image-link

John Nicholson of Dorking, "cameo engraver to Her Majesty", 1863.

 

A John Nicholson cameo sold last year for £2400.

 

Bronwen, he would be a nice gent to add to your collection. His half beard is quite luxurious.

 

I have tangential history with this one & would be interested in seeing the link for last year's sale. I have only the one for 2018:

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...aign=auction-alert&utm_content=lot-image-link

A friend, with my encouragement, bought it in 2018. I had the opportunity to exchange a Lebrethon for it but decided to take the cash. He did well by it because he got more for it at auction than its value would have been in an exchange. I corrupted him. When we were introduced he wouldn't look at anything that wasn't hardstone or much after 1800. Still his preference, but now he makes occasional exceptions.

 

He is the kind of obscure cameo cutter I seem to have made a specialty & I did seriously consider him. I did a lot of research for my friend in advance of the 2018 auction because the auction description said 'the reverse inscribed "Executed by John Nicholson Dawkin, cameo engraver to The Queen and HRH The Duchess of Kent", date 1855.' Spent time trying to run down 'Dawkin' before learning there was a Nicholson of Dorking.

 

Hi Bronwen, what an interesting cameo life you lead! Here is the link to last year's auction.

https://auctions.bertolamifinearts.com/en/lot/55872/a-shell-cameo-mounted-in-a-gold-and-blu-enamel-/

And every time you mention something about your collection, it starts my mind whirling about what you have in it! It must be spectacular in its entirety. Kudos!

 

Collectivley they're a spectacle. Not sure how spectacular, not compared to the truly spectacular pieces in the glyptics world that are far beyond anything I can afford. All but a few are in very humble settings; many are not mounted at all. Many are not in perfect condition. But some are very nice.

 

This is interesting.

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...aign=auction-alert&utm_content=lot-image-link

"Canova (Antonio, sculptor, 1757-1822) Autograph receipt signed to the Treasurer General of the Royal House of Naples for 250 lira for a cameo portrait of Joachim Murat, King of Naples to be executed in pietra dura,.."

Who knew the famed Canova ever did cameos. Suppose it's too much to hope that a museum will acquire it. It's snippets like this that help identify cameos that are unsigned and/or with an unknown portrait.

 

Even though she was told her proposed paper was too off topic for the conference in question, my Italian friend lavished many 'bravissima's on the VAM Angelica & Medoro box. I came clean & confessed that it was not I who sniffed it out.

 

Newly arrived at my home. Not one of the greats, of course, but definitely one of the better flower carvers. The trombone clasp and marcasites make me think 1930s. I see on the back A.Z. and a paler loopy flourish or signature under it.
How are these signatures made? They appear more like they are etched, quite different from the ones that are scratched into the back of the shell.
(That’s an 800 mark on the clasp.)

 

Very pretty. Agree on the dating. Nice that the initials are so legible; too bad I don't know who AZ is. The letters are acid etched. Merry Christmas to you...

 

bonjour Victor Amand Juiliot (dit Lamant) était mon ancêtre , son fils louis-lamand Juiliot était le grand père de ma grand-mère .il avait épousé une fille de Birmingham en 1852, Ellen Louise Mac leish .tous deux le père étaient graveurs de camées-coquillages...;