Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

Even though it looks more like a plinth, the flames make it an altar. When the fire is in a little cauldron-like thing on a tripod, it is sometimes called a brazier. This you could definitely call a brazier, because it is not in a ritual setting:

 

Thanks for this information!
Clearly, I have a LOT to learn about Roman mythology!

 

It's sort of classical art gobbledegook. I don't know a himation from a chlamys.

 

Now see, you made me look these up.......!
I learn something new every time I come here!

 

I didn't see the flames, so the Google translation didn't make sense. Good eyes- Stracci! I agree with the Bronwen's idea of a sacrifice to Mars. What do you think is the item in her other hand? It looked almost like a bone to me.

 

It looked like one of those weights people go running with to me. There really needs to be something in the scene to connect it with Mars. It is also possible that it is a priest, rather than a priestess. When it comes to mystic practices, men can also be veiled.

Now here's a priest of Mars:

http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/7B575A42-C28E-4D7D-B829-696190D5AD34

 

I'm not sure what to make of this one.

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

 

Now THAT'S a choker......
Or a dog collar. Does the leash have diamonds, too?

 

I've got another one to share with you all . It's a swivel brooch, but please don't hate me because I removed the hair. I did feel bad in a way, but if I am going to wear it, I might want to put something in there of my own. Plus I wanted to see if it has a signature and it does.

Age wise maybe 1880ish?

I don't think it's portraying anyone in particular but I still like it a lot!

 

Think the figure is meant to be male, sort of an Apollo type. The hair is long, but not trailing down the neck, & classical female figures are not usually so heavily draped on the shoulders & torso.

Whenever I see an auction for a reasonably good piece set with a memento compartment on the back & seller does not show the back of the cameo itself, I'm always just itching to pull it apart, on the off chance there's a signature. You lucked out. I feel as though I have seen this one, but at the moment cannot place it. Was wondering if one of the cases where Schmoll wrote his whole name out, but not:




Not Michelini either.

 

Thank you for the info @Bronwen That is very interesting. I did not think that it could be a male figure but that is awesome. I don't have a guy in my collection yet!
I went through the cameo signature thread because I felt like I've seen it before too, but nope. I can't even make it out, maybe L.Munig? With a lot of imagination haha

 

Maybe Murin? I think the last stroke is a flourish, not a letter. We have seen this on several signatures.

 

Yup. Schmoll for one.

 

This auction house listing reminded me of another artificial cameo it is good to be able to recognize.



Although it seems I used to see her regularly, frequently described as lava, or lava glass, it has been quite some time since I saw her last.

These are assembled pieces, with the molded figure affixed to a background of like or different material.



Here's an unusual one with the edges of the background layer faceted (and one of the lady's shoulders broken off):



Mounted on glass meant to have an agate look:




I have never had one of these in hand, so have not been able to judge for myself, but, when they are not mistaken for lava, they evidently, going by sellers' descriptions, feel like glass. The way they craze is not like glass.





Unlike the 'Danbiere' cameos, which are seen repeatedly in the same silver mounts, this lady appears in all kinds of brass settings, the findings indicating they are quite early 20th century, or even somewhat older.

I surmise these are some very early polymer (aka resin), perhaps attempting to compete with Celluloid & its relatives, and that, like Headband Girl, they were sold as components to jewellery manufacturers.

Here was an attempt to make faux malachite:




The conchoidal nature of the chip may indicate glass, or that the polymer is glass-like and can also fracture this way.

For good measure, this lady also gets mistaken for lava or lava glass:

 

The cameo you posted as an example is lovely. Don't see winter scenes very often. They both look so cold!. Is it part of your collection? Looks almost Art Nouveau.

 

She looks like plaster to me. Is it a resin? I seen her a bunch of times, but never knew really what to make of her.

 

More cameo gents and gals for Bronwen's Pinterest boards. It seems like portrait cameos are becoming up for sale much more often. The last one in the pretty blue enamel is Napoleon III, based on a coin that Bronwen posted previously on her Pinterest board (reposted here for comparison).

 

And a few more....

 

And rounding it out with a trio of Popes. Almost all of these are up for sale or auction now.

 

Every once in a blue moon I go to a particular restaurant with large mirrors mounted on the wall. I always sit a table next to a mirror that has the best conchoidal chip I think I have ever seen: about 3" across and 2" high: