Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

@Bronwen A few ladies I found- maybe they are new to you and can be placed on your Pinterest cameo board. Both are by Guiseppe Girometti. The sitter is unknown for the first cameo. The second cameo is of Pauline Bonaparte Borghese, sister to Napoleon.

 

At first glance i thought it might Prince Albert (Victoria's long mourned for Hubby)-but Royal Dynasties go, he may naturally have been related to Max/Joe of Bavaria.Are signed cameo portraits of an actual person rare ?

 

Signed cameos of any subject are rare relative to the vast majority of cameos that are unsigned. It's possible that portrait cameos are signed with greater frequency as so many would be commissioned work ordered from prominent engravers. The Saulinis alone account for so many!

 

Question-Just curious,are most of the gems in-hand finds,or examples from collections/museums ? both I'd imagine.

 

If you're asking about the gems shown in this thread, they are a mix of ones we own, ones in institutions & ones that are or have been up for sale. I would say the majority are ones owned by the member posting; occasionally one someone is considering buying.

 

beautiful stuff-these 'micro' artists are something else !

 

They both sport the facial hairstyles of the times, which I think makes them look similar.

 

Also, the three cameos I posted were auctioned a while ago. I don't own any of them.
Bronwen has several wonderful Pinterest boards for male portrait cameos, female portrait cameos, ivory cameos, etc. If you haven't seen them yet, take a look. There are some spectacular cameos on her boards and on her website, CameoTimes.com.
I am also interested in cameo artist signatures and post whenever I find one that is new to me. Bronwen "collects" these signatures for future reference.

 

Hey @Bronwen

How would you date this (Flora?) cameo? Is it just me or does the hairstyle look "too new?"

 

Based on the clasp, I would say it was made at the turn of the century or a little afterwards. That type of locking clasp started to be used in the 1890s and stopped in the 1920s when the current style of locking clasp came into use.

 

I would put her at the latter end of the range Pepper gives for the clasp.

 

I'd have figured Arts and Crafts era from the hair.

 

Bonhams: The Grand Tour Sale

 

I was looking at that sale yesterday. I have concerns with some of their cameo attributions to Saulini, like this one:

It just doesn't look like a Saulini cameo to me- somehow the carving is too harsh around the brow and the hair and ear don't seem right.

 

They have a whole batch of Saulini-esque shell portrait cameos they are trying to insinuate are from the Saulini workshop. I have no reason to believe any piece that is not signed can be honestly attributed to them.

If their estimates of value are at all accurate, our collections are way more valuable than I had imagined. However, I think they are wildly aspirational.

I have a lot of trouble also with this:

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

'In the style of Luigi Michelini'? Another sneaky attempt at an attribution. And then dating to early 19th century? A) Michelini seems to have signed everything he ever made, no matter the material or how crudely cut; B) he does not seem to have produced accomplished hardstone work until around 1840 & later.

 

I saw that one too! The first thing I thought was " Michelini signs his carvings"- just like what you posted. It bothers me that these reputable auction houses are trying to take advantage of their potential buyers. But "Buyer beware".

 

I was chuckling at some of their estimates. I will definitely be checking the results of the Bonhams auction.

 

Debating whether I should throw in a bid for this one. I love the cameo but I am worried about the crack. Not sure how serious it is or what can be done about it. Can't see the back cause its a locket/swivel.
I wear my cameos (mostly as pendants) so not sure how much "stress" this could take. It does seem like its secure in the setting though.

Look at the hair though..it's so pretty

 

As long as it is secure in the frame, I think you can wear it. I have several cameos with cracks and have never had a problem. Good luck!

 

Agree that the crack looks tight, so cameo probably pretty secure in the mount, as long as it doesn't receive a blow. Hope the price reflects the damage.