Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

This cameo sold today (I was watching it) and I would love to hear your opinions about it, as it doesn't look like shell to me.... what do you think ? Should I kick myself for not bidding on it ? Thank you !

 

It looks like cast something and gold-plated whatever from here. If I liked it and it was going cheap I've have tossed a few bucks at it. Anything more than $10 total and forget it, for me at least. It's not old .

 

The opposite, you can congratulate yourself for not doing it.
You were right in thinking it’s not shell.
I agree with @evelyb30 it’s cast, probably some sort of plastic. The makers didn’t even bother to carve out the small beads/grains of material scattered between the folds of the drapery.
I don’t like her arm. Is unnaturally thin for her body and once seeing that my eyes are drawn to it constantly.

 

How about the way her breasts are right under her collar bones?

Resin. Scarily realistic resin.

 

Thank you, everybody ! Before learning from all of you about cameos, I would have jumped on it.. so, thank you !

It went for over $500...

Ha, ha, now I can't unsee it either...

 

As Victor Meldrew sais:
“I Don’t Believe it!”

 

Two lots of 18th century carved shell cameos that were auctioned today:


Hammer price £1,600
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...38f5ca-c65c-4bee-98bc-acb500c05fdc#lotDetails


Hammer price £4,200
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...e10d26-c0cf-4507-9d81-acb500c05fdc#lotDetails

if money was no object...

 

Now those were about right, hammer price-wise. $500 for a plastic cameo...????? Somebody was NOT paying attention!

 

These were up for auction last year too. Can't recall if they sold then. I had my envious eye on them because I have an interest in cameos of this type, so-called 'oyster shell'. They can also fool the unwary into thinking they are something they are not.

 

@Bronwen, do you have any oyster shell cameos yourself?

 

Any ideas what is the subject of these cameos?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-VIC...120714?hash=item2f5442b4ca:g:sSkAAOSw69dfVMfL


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VICTORIA...2d9536f:g:maUAAOSwDHdgDEFQ#vi__app-cvip-panel

 

Nemesis.

 

Yes, a couple.

 

Thank you!

They are serenely beautiful! Thank you very much for sharing them with us.

Would you say, this one is also an oyster shell cameo?




(not mine)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-19th-c...ssical-maiden/324424969003#vi__app-cvip-panel

 

maybe.

 

a couple.............?

 

It definitely is. I always put "oyster shell" in quotes because there's no reason to think that is the kind of shell that was used & good reasons to think it is not. The V&A has a considerable number of them from the 16th century when the technique seems to have been devised. Ones we see now generally have the shell starting to separate from the backing; when new they really must have looked like hardstone seen from the front.

 

BTW, the lady is the Muse Terpsichore. We know because she has a plectrum to use with her lyre.

 

Don't tempt the Goddess-of-Comeuppance.

 

Would never !!!
but..
I'd jostle the Queen of Cameo's........on any given day !!!!!